Detecting and preventing new incursions of exotic animals in Australia Wendy Henderson and Mary Bomford Detecting and preventing new incursions of exotic animals in Australia Wendy Henderson and Mary Bomford Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre 2011 An IA CRC Project Detecting and preventing new incursions of exotic animals in Australia. Report prepared for the Detection and Prevention Project 9.D.9 Risk assessment processes in Australia. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. The material presented in this report is based on sources that are believed to be reliable. While every care has been taken in the preparation of the report, the authors give no warranty that the said sources are correct and accept no responsibility for any resultant errors contained herein any damages or loss, whatsoever caused or suffered by any individual or corporation. Published by: Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. Postal address: University of Canberra, ACT 2600. Office Location: University of Canberra, Kirinari Street, Bruce ACT 2617. Telephone: (02) 6201 2887 Facsimile: (02) 6201 2532 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.invasiveanimals.com ISBN: 978-1-921777-17-2 Web ISBN: 978-1-921777-16-5 © Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre 2011 This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, information or educational purposes. Selected passages, tables or diagrams may be reproduced for such purposes provided acknowledgement of the source is included. Major extracts of the entire document may not be reproduced by any process. Cover image: Green iguana (Elizabeth A. Roznik). This document should be cited as: Henderson W and Bomford M (2011). Detecting and preventing new incursions of exotic animals in Australia. Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra. ii Detecting and preventing new incursions of exotic animals in Australia Contents Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 2 Glossary ............................................................................................................................ 4 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 5 2. Methods ............................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Data collation .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Risk assessments ............................................................................................................. 6 3. Results ............................................................................................................................ 7 3.1 Exotic vertebrates detected at large or in private keeping in Australia.............................. 7 3.2 Exotic animals intercepted at the national border ........................................................... 13 3.3 Data trends over the decade ........................................................................................... 24 4. Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Species with a high risk of establishment ....................................................................... 26 4.2 Species with high pest potential ...................................................................................... 27 4.3 Disease risk ..................................................................................................................... 32 4.4 Issues with private keeping ............................................................................................. 32 4.5 Smuggling and stowaways .............................................................................................. 34 4.6 Risk assessment modelling ............................................................................................. 35 4.7 National awareness raising ............................................................................................. 35 4.8 Data consistency and information sharing ...................................................................... 37 4.9 National workshop on information management ............................................................. 38 5. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 39 6. Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 40 7. References ......................................................................................................................... 40 Appendix 1. Phone numbers and pest animal alerts ................................................................... 45 Appendix 2. Workshop Proceedings: Managing information on vertebrate incursions and interceptions at a national level ............................................................................. 46 Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre iii Summary This report presents data on incursions and interceptions of exotic vertebrates in Australia that have occurred within the country and at the national border, over the past 10 years. It includes data on species (that are not widely established) found 'at large' in the environment, and seizures, surrenders and thefts from private keeping within Australia. It also includes data on animals intercepted entering the country as stowaways or in attempted smuggling incidents. Information on animal numbers and species and incident locations (at state/territory level) is presented, providing a national picture of which exotic vertebrates have been sighted at or within Australian borders. High-risk species are identified for future priority biosecurity actions, to prevent new pests establishing. Data sources included state, territory and federal government agencies, the Zoo and Aquarium Association and online publications. Information varied in quantity and quality from the different sources, with some agencies having far more detailed information than others. The reporting of animal sightings and interceptions depends on (a) the general awareness of threats posed by exotic species and (b) the effectiveness of pest-related legislation and its implementation (which in turn is dependent on government resources). Species already known to be emerging pests in Australia were the most commonly reported species detected at large. Such species include red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), spotted doves (Streptopelia chinensis), barbary doves (Streptopelia risoria), red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and cane toads (Bufo marinus) in expanding ranges or new locations. Exotic reptiles including corn snakes (Elaphe guttata), boas (Boa constrictor) and red-eared sliders were the most common illegally kept species reported, although a wide variety of exotic reptiles were seized or surrendered. The most numerous smuggled species were fish and birds, although the majority of these were not identified to species level. Most smuggling incidents involved illegal reptiles (mainly snakes and turtles) and birds (mostly parrots). While fish and reptiles tended to be mostly brought in via post/cargo, birds (particularly eggs) were more likely to be smuggled in person. The most commonly reported intercepted stowaways were reptiles (mainly geckos) and amphibians (mostly toads). All identified species were quantitatively assessed for their risk of establishing in Australia, using Bomford's (2008) risk assessment models. Some of the most frequently reported species were calculated to have an extreme or serious risk of establishing in Australia. Perhaps not surprisingly, species already occurring in wild populations (such as cane toads, Asian house geckos Hemidactylus frenatus and pond sliders Trachemys scripta) were assessed as having an extreme establishment risk rank (or ERR). Species that have not established in Australia but which were assigned a serious ERR and were detected at large in multiple jurisdictions include ferrets (Mustela putorius), house crows (Corvus splendens), barbary doves, Indian ringneck parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and corn snakes. One notable species reported in multiple cases of illegal private keeping is the green iguana (Iguana iguana), assigned an extreme ERR. Serious ERR Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre 1 species reported most commonly as seized or surrendered from private keeping include corn snakes, boa constrictors, veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus), and leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). Records of smuggling incidents include the extreme ERR species red- eared sliders and green iguanas. Species with a serious ERR that were detected in multiple smuggling incidents include corn snakes, boa constrictors, rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria), rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata), Horsefield's tortoises (Testudo horsfieldii), Californian kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula)