Native animals reclaim forest
Aerial baiting begins again amid signs crazy ant war is being won
IN the rainforest-clad hills south of Cairns, creatures not seen in years are returning.
Native frogs, lizards and insects were all decimated after the emergence of one of the world’s most invasive pests – the yellow crazy ant.
But now, thanks to co-ordinated eradication efforts, territory is being reclaimed.
“We used to go up there and they were running all over the place – it was so overpopulated with ants,” said traditional owner Allan Oliver, who also goes by his tribal name Gurrabunna.
“They were destroying our native frogs, our native flora and fauna.
“But these guys from the Wet Tropics Management Authority have come in, they’ve done an amazing job – you can go up now without (ants) running all over you. “They’re being eliminated.” Aerial baiting has occurred three times a year since 2013 and a helicopter spreading the ant poison once again took to Watch the video of helicopters dropping baits the skies over Mt Peter yesterday.
For the authority’s executive director, Scott Buchanan, the end is in sight.
“We’re confident that we’ll be able to declare two infested sites at Edmonton fully eradicated by the end of the year,” he said.
Mr Buchanan said the joint state and federal governmentfunded $10.5 million program had enough cash to continue fighting ants for the next three years but it would likely take 10 years of work before the pests were gone for good.
“We have got commitment from both ministers that if we do need more money, they’re willing to listen to us,” he said.
“We have always made it clear that this is a 10-year-long program. For true eradication, that’s what it’s going to take.”