Saving Native Species in Wellington National Park
Wellington National Park is home to a wide diversity of native wildlife including the chuditch, quokka and the western ringtail possum, all of which are under threat of extinction.
One of the biggest threats to their ongoing survival in the park is the presence of introduced species such as foxes, feral cats and feral pigs which prey on wildlife and destroy their habitat.
After receiving a ‘Saving Native Species grant’ from the Australian Government in May 2024, Leschenault Catchment Council and South West NRM, with on-ground support from the Leschenault Biosecurity Group, joined forces in a collaborative project to specifically target and control populations of feral pigs, feral cats, and foxes on properties proximal to the southern boundary of the Wellington National Park.
The program engaged 61 landholders in on-ground control work, and remote cameras were deployed across 21 of these private properties to observe movements of both native and pest animals. These cameras were monitored monthly with the captured photo data helping to guide strategies for control of introduced predators.
Through the project we held five special events focused on feral and pest animal management to provide support, raise awareness and encourage landholder participation. One of these events included a well-attended field day that brought together landholders and community members to discuss and learn about feral cat, fox and feral pig control through cross sector engagement from DBCA, DPIRD, Blackwood Biosecurity and Leschenault Biosecurity Group. Practical demonstrations showcasing available equipment and traps were a key highlight of this event.
“Being part of this project has made a real difference - not just to our land but the native species living around it. We’ve seen the return of wildlife that we hadn’t spotted in years such as quendas, possums, skinks and an array of birds. We’ve even been fortunate enough to have witnessed a chuditch on one of the remote cameras set up on our property for the project, which is just fantastic! It is incredibly rewarding to know our efforts are helping to protect threatened species.”
- Charmaine Ferreira, participating landholder
Project activities commenced in June 2024 and concluded in November 2025, with some very impressive results! Successful dispatch of 8 feral cats, 148 foxes and 165 feral pigs from the landscape through a combination of trapping, shooting and baiting.
You can find out more about this project and get advice on feral and pest animal control in the Saving Native Species in Wellington National Park Landholder Information Booklet available to download here.
This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species Program and delivered by South West NRM and Leschenault Catchment Council in collaboration with Leschenault Biosecurity Group Inc.
