Feral animals

 

What are feral animals?

Feral animals are animals which have been introduced into an environment and subsequently become unwanted.  Some feral animals disrupt the natural ecology and adversely impact on native plants and animals.  Others cause economic losses to farmers and businesses, or impact on our life in negative way.

Animals from England were introduced to Norfolk Island during the First Settlement in the late 1700s.  When that settlement closed in 1814; pigs, rats, chooks, rabbits, cats, dogs and goats were left behind.  When the Second Settlement arrived in 1824, they reported that there were large numbers of pigs and goats on the island.  All the feral pigs, goats and rabbits have since been removed.

 

Some feral animals that cause problems on Norfolk Island

Cats  

Cats are a major problem because they kill birds and reptiles.  There are no longer any native lizards on Norfolk Island.  It is most important that cats are desexed and not allowed to wander at night so they do not hunt.

 

Rats

The Polynesian rat probably arrived on Norfolk Island about 800 years ago. The black rat escaped from the HMAV Sirius when it sank off Kingston in 1790. 

Rats destroy seed sources, chew new shoots of growing plants, and prey on nests and roosting birds.  Rodents probably contributed to the extinction of six bird and two reptile species on Norfolk Island. 

 

Chickens

Chickens were introduced for food but escaped and bred rapidly.  They scratch around in the leaf litter and eat small native snails and other native invertebrates.  They also eat seed from the native plants and stop others from germinating.

 

Red Parrot

Red parrots were introduced from Australia where they are called crimson rosellas.  They compete with the green parrots for food and nesting holes but because they are more aggressive, they have been more successful and the native green parrot is threatened.

Californian Quail

Californian quail eat small invertebrates, scratch the ground and stop plants from growing.

 

 

Feral aenimals

 

Wats wan feral aenimal?

Feral aenimals esa aenimals wich bin introdyuus et t’ wan envairanment en huu kam es anwohnted.  Sam feral aenimals el disrapt daa naetrl ekohlogi en aedversli impaekt orna nietiv plaants ena aenimal.  Tada el kors ekonomik lohses gena faama ena besneses, ala impaekt orn auwas laif iina negativ wieh.

Aenimals fram Inglan bin introdyuus et gen Norfuk Ailen juuren daa Fas Setelment iina liet 1700s.  Wen daa setelment shet iin 1814; pig, raet, faul, raebet, keht, dorg ena got wer labi ya.  Wen daa Sekan Setelment araiv ya iin 1824, dem laan thaet gat plenti big namba o’ pig ena got orna ailen.  Olr dem feral pig, got ena raebet sins bin remuuv et.

 

Sam feral aenimals thaet yuusa korsa prohblem orn Norfuk Ailen

Keht

Keht es wan maeja prohblem said dem yuusa kil dem berd ena reptail.  Wi noe nor gat eni nietie lisad ya orn Norfuk Ailen.  Es veri important thaet keht s’ diiseks et en ent alaud f’ wohnda iina nait soe dem nor hant.

 

Raets.

Daa Poliniishon raet prohbabli araiv orn Norfuk Ailen baut 800 yias agoe. Daa blaek raet eskiep fram daa HMAV Sirius daa taim wen sink orf Taun iin 1790 .

Raet el destroi’ siid sors, chyuu nyuu shuuts o dem groe’en plaant, en prieh orna nes ena ruusten berd.  Rohdents prohbabli bin kontribyuut gen d’ ektinkshan o’ siks berd en tuu reptail spiisis orn

Norfuk Ailen. 

 

Faul

Faul s’ introdyuus et f’ wetls  bat dem eskiep en briid faas.  Dem skraech raun iina liif lita en it a smorl nietiv sniel ena tada nietiv invertebret.  Dem orlsoe yuusa ita siid fram dem nietiv plaant en stohp’ tada an fram jerminieten.

 

Red Paerat

Red paerat s’ introdyuuset fram Australia said dem korl et krimsan roesela.  Dem compiit longf’ dem griin paerat f’ wetls ena nesten hoel bat said dem es mor agresiv, dem bin mor saksesful en daa nietiv griin paerat es thretend. 

 

Kaelifornya kwail

Kaelifornya kwail ita smorl invertabret, skraech daa graun en stohp’ plaant fram groe-en.