Read the below fact sheet on wild bumbies and donkeys to complete your table
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More Information on Australia's Wild Brumbies
Background
Horses arrived on the First Fleet in 1788. In the following years, shipments of working farm horses were brought to Australia; however, records indicate that these escaped or were abandoned in the early 1800s. This trend increased as machines gradually replaced horses in a range of tasks and many horses were released to join the already established feral herds. It is estimated that there are 300,000 feral horses throughout Australia, where they inhabit a range of habitats. On average, horses produce one foal every two years, leading to relatively rapid increases in the wild. Impacts Feral horses cause considerable damage to the natural environment, including increased erosion of soil and waterways, increased spread of weeds, trampling of native vegetation, consumption of native seedlings leading to reduced biodiversity, sedimentation of waterways and water bodies, destruction of infrastructure, competition with native species and domestic cattle for resources, and spread of disease and parasites to domestic stock and native species. In addition, horses will travel up to 50 km for food and water, which means that they have the potential to cause extensive damage over a very wide range. |
Management Practices
Feral horses can be managed using a number of techniques:
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More Information on Australia's Wild Donkeys
Management Practices
Feral donkeys can be managed using a number of techniques:
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Background
Donkeys are native to Africa. They were brought to Australia in 1866 to serve as pack animals to assist haulage teams. They were particularly useful in the Kimberley, Western Australia and Victoria River (Northern Territory), where a toxic plant affected work horses. Following the introduction of motorized transportation in the early 1900s, donkeys were released to the wild, where they formed feral herds. Today, feral donkeys are very common in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory. It is estimated that there are millions of feral donkeys in the arid zones of central Australia, Western Australia and the Top End. This is largely due to their capacity to tolerate wide environmental conditions. Donkeys are able to produce a foal every year, suggesting that the population can increase rapidly under favourable conditions. Impacts Feral donkeys pose a significant threat to the natural environment. They have been associated with increased erosion of soil and waterways, spread of weeds, trampling of native vegetation, consumption of native seedlings leading to reduced biodiversity, sedimentation of waterways and waterbodies, destruction of infrastructure, and competition with native species and domestic cattle for resources. |