There are plenty of grey nomads who choose to travel with pets even though it means they cannot stay at many caravan parks or visit our beautiful national parks.
However, there can be even graver consequences. Every now and again, a grey nomad on the road reports their dog simply disappearing, or being killed by a snake, or dying after inadvertently eating a 1080 bait.
Here, National Wild Dog Facilitator, Greg Mifsud, explains why 1080 is so important in controlling Australia’s feral animal population and explains what grey nomads can do to help keep their pets safe.
Protecting pets – safeguarding agriculture and wildlife
1080 can have terrible consequences for pets. PIC: Pixabay
Pest animal management helps safeguard pets, farm animals and wildlife across Australia. Land managers commonly use 1080 as part of control programs to reduce the threat of attack, disease and environmental damage caused by pest animals. The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre has found that the responsible use of 1080 is an effective tool in targeting pest animals to protect our pets, livestock and native wildlife.
When you are travelling across the country watch out for the signs land managers use to notify the public that 1080 is being used and keep an eye on your pets.
Top tips to safeguard pets during road trips
1080 occurs naturally in Australia
Sodium monofluoroacetate, or compound 1080, is a naturally occurring toxin found in approximately 40 native Australian plants. Australian acacia species, including the Georgina Gidgee, and the gastrolobium species throughout northern and western Australia naturally produce sodium monofluoroacetate. 1080 is one of the most target-specific and environmentally sensitive toxins available in Australia for the control of feral animals.
Many Australian herbivores evolved with 1080 in their diets and they have developed a high level of resistance unlike the feral animal species we target in control programs – wild dogs, foxes, feral pigs and cats.
Mr Mifsud said foxes, dogs and cats are susceptible to 1080 because their digestive system has strong stomach acids which dissolve protein directly through the stomach lining.
“This mode of absorption means we can deliver baits which are species-specific,” he said. “By using meat alone we exclude and protect many native species from the 1080 baits used to manage pest animals
“The very low concentration of 1080 used to target these pest animals means species such as goannas and eagles are not at risk because they have very high resistance to 1080 due to the bacteria in their digestive systems.”
The risk of exposing non-target species to 1080 baits is further reduced by responsible way in which these baits are used by land managers.
Soluble in water, 1080 can be diluted and is readily broken down into harmless compounds by bacterial micro-organisms found in the soil and in environment to leave no residue.
FERAL FACTS
Feral animals account for an estimated $620 million annual impact on Australian agriculture. Feral cats, pigs, foxes and wild dogs cause untold damage to the natural environment particularly to small and medium sized native mammals. In addition to these impacts feral animals such as feral pigs and wild dogs are vectors for disease which can affect livestock and humans.
1080 OR SNAKEBITE?
The symptoms of 1080 poisoning are very similar to those caused by the neurotoxins from our venomous snakes and spiders. Easily misdiagnosed without a specific tissue test, 1080 has been blamed for the death of animals who have suffered snakebite.
