THE CONTROL OF VERTEBRATE PESTS BY VERTEBRATE PREDATORS

Carnivores can control mammalian pests for long periods, but only after pest numbers have been reduced by other means. In Australia, the cause is prolonged dry weather. The consequent low populations of rabbits can then be regulated by European foxes, feral cats and dingoes. Kangaroos, and probably feral goats and pigs, succumb to dingoes at the same time, as substitute prey for rabbits. In the general case, such regulatory predation may be triggered climatically, by disease or by human intervention. When predators are themselves pests to be controlled, integrated pest management may be required to avoid unwanted resurgences of other pests. © 1990.