Feral Scan
FeralScan (www.feralscan.org.au) is a free community platform that anyone can use to monitor and record pest animal information (including sightings and evidence of pests, the damage/impacts from pests (such as wildlife predation), and the control of pests (such as trapping feral pigs). The information recorded is managed securely, responsibly and carefully to protect landholders and community members. It is shared with NSW LLS so they can be kept accurately informed by landholders and the broader community. It helps to guide local coordinated landscape-scale pest control activities by community groups, as well as LLS supported programs. The stand-out features of FeralScan include its suitability for groups, and the support you receive when using it through Peter West and Grace Proudfoot as NSW coordinators.
For Landcare groups, FeralScan can potentially be used to map pest threats, and plan control programs. Landcare groups can use FeralScan to (1) Map areas of rabbit activity to identify where to undertake warren destruction activities or baiting programs, (2) Record areas of fox problems where threatened native fauna exist, and plan baiting programs to reduce fox impacts, (3) Document evidence of feral pigs to decide where best to place pig traps or seek funding for trapping, (4) Document feral deer and feral goats to decide where herbivore control is most needed, (5) Monitor activity of feral cats and identify where trapping should occur, and (6) Monitor wild dogs and help landholders protect farm livestock and native fauna simultaneously. FeralScan can also be used to evaluate if control programs are effective, especially when lots of people use wildlife monitoring cameras.
Anyone can use FeralScan, and communities usually get the best outcomes when lots of people are involved with recording observations to create a detailed community-map of pest activity and problem areas. FeralScan is a tool to help communities work together with monitoring and prioritising areas for control, seek funding and support for targeted control, and collaborate to get the best outcomes.
The ‘private groups’ feature allows people from a group or organisation to establish a private map, where only members can view reports from other members. It is a highly successful model for securely sharing information within a group, and can help people throughout a group to understand the scale of the problem, identify priority areas for control, and focus on coordinating control across the area with everyone involved.
FeralScan can provide posters to raise awareness of feral pests as well as assistance to set up the free FeralScan App for a group or individual.
Any questions about FeralScan can be directed to PeterWest peter.west@dpi.nsw.gov.au
