Feral goats wreaking havoc on the environment in Lerderderg State Park will be culled in a three-year conservation program by Parks Victoria.
The program, which started last month, aims to help protect and rehabilitate native flora and fauna of state significance at the 20,000-hectare state park, including the vulnerable box ironbark trees and more than 370 native plant species. More than 130 birds species, including the swift parrot, great egret, and powerful and masked owls, have been found in the park.
Parks Victoria chief ranger Stuart Lardner said the park was also an important habitat for wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, mountain brushtail possums, and the brush-tailed phascogale.
An EPA spokesman said feral goats have been in the area since before the state park was established in 1988.
There are about 200 goats thought to be in the park.
“Feral goats are prolific grazers that diminish native grasses, shrubs and trees, causing erosion, preventing regeneration and taking the food of native animals. They can also foul waterholes and transport weeds and diseases,” Mr Lardner said.
He said the program would be carried out under strictly controlled conditions to ensure safe, effective and humane practices.
Some sections of the park will be temporarily closed to the public for periods of two-to-three days each month during the program. Unaffected sections of the park will remain open to the public.
Other conservations programs delivered by Parks Victoria include monitoring of grazer and plant populations, revegetation, weed spraying, controlled burning and animal control.
Information: wwwparks.vic.gov.au
