Cape York Peninsula Aerial Survey
Cape York Peninsula is made up with a diverse pattern of ecosystems, savannas, woodlands, large plains, dense forests, extensive swamps, heaths, palm forests and large meandering riverine systems, a land total of 207 000 sq. k/m’s. Land managers include Aboriginal communities, State government agencies and pastoralists.
Cape York Peninsula contains many rare and threatened species of plant and animal life, some of which suffer direct impacts from feral animals. The marine turtle is one example of this through nesting predation by feral pigs. Current views are that if the nest destruction by feral pigs is not reduced significantly within the next few years the populations of marine turtles may reach a point where recovery is not possible.
In June 2003 Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Program undertook the first aerial survey of Cape York Peninsula. That survey counted feral pig and horse numbers in four different vegetation types that were most prevalent in the Cape. They were open woodlands, closed woodlands, marine plain and heathlands. The survey was conducted at a time where water levels were low enough to simulate late dry season conditions.
After the 2004 wet season which was around the seasonal average for most areas in Cape York, staff from the program undertook an identical survey to the one carried out in 2003 with the exception being the Heathlands vegetation type which was not surveyed due to visibility concerns. The data from the 2004 survey when compared to the 2003 survey will provide information such as population density, animal movements due to more abundant feed, and to a lesser extent total population counts for pigs and horses.
This survey is now carried out every year making the data collected more robust.