Feral animals
A number of introduced species of animal are targeted pests in the Cairns Regional Council area. Council is responsible for:
- Ensuring that restricted plants and declared animals are controlled within Council area as outlined in Biosecurity Act 2014.
- Preventing the introduction and spread of restricted plants and animals within this local government area.
- Enforcing relevant provisions of the Biosecurity Act 2014.
Community assistance
Council offers numerous forms of support for local land managers and occupiers experiencing pest issues.
Please contact Council's Natural Areas Land Management Officers for further information on 1300 69 22 47.
Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are a major pest animal in the Wet Tropics area of far north Queensland. Pigs damage the natural environment and pose a major threat to the conservation values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. They cause significant losses to agricultural enterprises in the region, and harbour and spread diseases affecting native animals, stock and humans.
Council currently offers a trap loan service. Conditions apply, please contact Council for further information on 1300 69 22 47.
Indian Myna birds were imported into Australia in the 1860s and introduced to Townsville, Ingham and Innisfail to control insects in cane and other crops. Before long, their population had increased dramatically and moved north to the Cairns region.
They are now considered to be pests in Queensland and the Cairns Regional Council local government area. Council relies on the support of community groups and private landholders in the management and eradication of this class of pest.
Introduced rats and mice are subject to health legislation and are not dealt with in Council's pest management process.
Find out what to do if you are having issues with rats or mice on your property.
Electric ants are one of the world’s worst invasive species. They are known to affect human health, blind domestic pets, and displace our native wildlife. They can inflict a painful, long lasting, venomous sting causing anaphylaxis or secondary infections, and can also blind pets.
Electric ants don’t make visible nests and will nest in, on, or under almost anything in the garden, including pot plants, rocks, sleepers, trees and shrubs.
Electric ants are predominantly spread by people through the swapping of pot plants and other plant material and the dumping of green waste. Electric ants can be moved in soil, or anything that has soil attached such as plant cuttings, green waste,
garden furniture and equipment.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, electric ants are category 1 restricted matter. The National Electric Ant Eradication Program has made significant progress in eradicating electric ants from Australia. Surveillance is ongoing, and treatment and containment measures are continuing in areas of Far North Queensland where the ants have been detected.
You can help:
- Book a FREE yard check or report suspect electric ants
- Report suspect ants to 13 25 23
- Learn more at daf.qld.gov.au/anthunt
Some other pest animals in our region are generally considered responsibilities of other agencies such as Biosecurity Queensland, which can be contacted on 13 25 23. These pests include:
- Asian honeybees
- Electric and yellow crazy ants
- Ferrets
Responsibilities of land managers
All Queenslanders have a ‘general biosecurity obligation’ (GBO) under Queensland's Biosecurity Act 2014.
This means that everyone is responsible for managing biosecurity risks that are:
- under their control and
- that they know about, or should reasonably be expected to know about.
Under the GBO, individuals and organisations whose activities pose a biosecurity risk must:
- minimise the likelihood of causing a biosecurity event and limit the consequences if such an event is caused
- prevent or minimise the harmful effects a risk could have, and not do anything that might make any harmful effects worse.
- take all reasonable and practical steps to prevent or minimise each biosecurity risk.
Biosecurity and pest animal control
Pest plants and animals are seen to be more or less of a threat depending on the primary values for which a landholder is managing the land.
Council officers have powers under the Queensland Biodiversity Act 2014 to ensure pests are appropriately managed on both public and private property.
To support pest management in the region, Council has released the following biosecurity programs related to pest animals that state intentions to exercise its powers around treatment and surveillance of pests, property access and compliance with the Act:
Last Updated: 2 May 2024
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