Australian birds could benefit from predator exclusion fencing

Abstract

The use of predator exclusion fencing is widely recognized as one of the most effective mechanisms for protecting threatened fauna from introduced or overabundant predators. It is now used throughout the world to protect avian fauna. In Australia, where predator exclusion fencing is used extensively to protect threatened mammals, such fences for threatened avifauna are surprisingly sparse. In this perspective we demonstrate that (a) the use of predator exclusion fences for avifauna is popular in other countries with similar conservation problems, (b) a large number of Australian avian species could benefit from dedicated predator exclusion fences, and (c) despite legitimate concerns, if well designed, predator exclusion fences can pose little risk to threatened birds or are outweighed by the potential benefits. We believe wider use of predator exclusion fencing to protect Australian threatened birds could be highly beneficial and should be more regularly considered as a management action by conservation practitioners.

Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree wētā, Hemideina crassidens.

“…In these island systems, as well as in other environments with high numbers of endemic species at risk of extinction, fenced ecosanctuaries or aggressive trapping programmes have reduced or eradicated invasive predators for the benefit of native species. These approaches thus provide an environment with a predator array closer to that before introduced species arrival ( Christensen et al., 2021 ; Ringma et al., 2020 ).…”