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WLF2201 Vertebrate Pests and Biosecurity

Semester 2, 2022 External
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Agriculture and Environmental Science
Grading basis : Graded
Course fee schedule : /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules

Staffing

Examiner:

Overview

Vertebrate pests cause millions of dollars of lost agricultural and forestry production, increasing amounts of funding for their control, have an enormous impact on biodiversity and are increasingly involved in human-wildlife conflict. Although most native species are experiencing threats, a few native and most introduced vertebrate species are considered pests and must be managed as such. There are different types of management for pest species; however many of the introduced species are a serious biosecurity risk and require specific requirements for their management. These biosecurity risks are shared with many other countries and are an increasing threat to humans, native animals, forestry and agriculture in Australia and other parts of the world.

This course provides an introduction and overview of vertebrate pests and their control, biosecurity and human-wildlife conflict and its resolution. This course focusses on the legislation locally, in Queensland, nationally and internationally as it relates to vertebrate pests. The different types of control methods for vertebrate pests will be discussed as well as their strengths and limitations. Difference between vertebrate pest management and human-wildlife conflict management will be discussed. Biosecurity and the processes involved in minimising risk will be discussed as will the techniques of sample collection, storage, transport and analysis. The importance of engaging stakeholders, ensuring social licence and animal welfare, and keys aspects of negotiation will be described.

There is a highly recommended three day residential school for this course.

Course learning outcomes

On completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. Evaluate what is a vertebrate pest and how they became pests
  2. Evaluate the different control methods for vertebrate pests as well as their strengths and limitations
  3. Develop and implement a vertebrate pest management plan
  4. Develop and implement a management plan to mitigate human-wildlife conflict
  5. Describe why successfully engaging stakeholders, ensuring social licence are critical to the success of vertebrate pest methods and human-wildlife conflict resolution
  6. Describe the key aspects of successful negotiation
  7. Describe the processes involved in biosecurity operations from quarantine and the processes involved including appropriate sample collection, storage, transport and analysis.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. How wildlife becomes a pest 5.00
2. Control methods for vertebrate pests and their strengths and limitations 15.00
3. The process of developing and implementing a vertebrate pest management plan 10.00
4. The process of developing and implementing a management plan to mitigate human-wildlife conflict 15.00
5. The role of stakeholders and social licence in successful vertebrate pest management and human-wildlife conflict resolution 15.00
6. Understanding why negotiation is important to achieve positive pest management outcomes 10.00
7. Biosecurity and its role in keeping Australian safe 10.00
8. The processes involved in animal biosecurity 20.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Veterinary laboratory users guide, 6th Edition, 2019. ISBN 978-0-7345-0459-3
URL:
This is a free guide in pdf format available from the Queensland Government and written to help veterinarians and departmental field staff get the best possible service from the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory and provides information on biosecurity tests and sampling by discipline (e.g. parasitology) and animal species..

Student workload expectations

To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.

Assessment details

Approach Type Description Group
Assessment
Weighting (%) Course learning outcomes
Assignments Written Quiz A1 of 2 No 10 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Assignments Written Quiz A2 of 2 No 10 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Assignments Written Report 1 No 30 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Assignments Written Report 2 No 20 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Examinations Non-invigilated Time limited online examinatn No 30 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Date printed 10 February 2023