“Active management and lethal control of wombats as set out in the Draft Technical Paper are unjustified due to a profound lack of reliable data,” Conservation Council Executive Director, Simon Copland said.
“Our submission highlighted that the government’s Draft Technical Report acknowledges a lack of reliable population estimates, and relies instead on anecdotal evidence and 51-year-old reports to suggest population increases. The Council raised significant concerns regarding the report’s consultation process, noting that less than 1% of rural landholders were consulted, and community members, developers, and Traditional Custodians were entirely excluded from the discussion. While we recognise that the concerns of many landholders about wombat management are real, we believe we need a much stronger evidence base to justify such a significant shift in policy.”
“Given these significant concerns, we do not believe there is a current evidence base to identify any need for the creation of a Controlled Native Species Management Plan for wombats, nor to allow for any form of lethal control of the species. While we recognise concerns about their impacts on land, and of the impact of mange on species health, there are a variety of other non-lethal alternatives available to manage wombats in the ACT.”
To balance land-use concerns with ecological preservation, The Conservation Council ACT Region recommends the ACT Government adopt the following strategies:
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Commitment to Non-Lethal Management: Private landholders must be supported and encouraged to adopt non-lethal interventions to reduce property conflict. Recommended measures include the installation of wombat gates, burrow flaps (which deliver anti-parasite medication as wombats enter their burrows to treat mange), and fencing to maintain ecological integrity. Lethal management methods should not be utilised or endorsed in the absence of robust, long-term ecological data.
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Expansion of Pilot Programs: The government should expand pilot initiatives that involve farmers, wildlife carers, and community volunteers to monitor and manage wombat populations, for example, the Community Mange Treatment Program. Expanding these programs will provide practical training, strengthen local knowledge, and generate reliable data for adaptive management. To ensure success, these programs require government support in the form of financial, technical, and logistical assistance.
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Data-Driven Decision Making: The government must avoid making policy decisions based on anecdotal reports. Management strategies must be guided by accurate scientific evidence gathered through comprehensive population monitoring, habitat mapping, and behavioral studies.
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Public Education and Awareness: The ACT should build community understanding of wombat ecology, reproductive cycles, and the consequences of lethal control. Increasing this awareness will promote conservation-aligned behavior and reduce conflicts. Awareness campaigns should be actively integrated into landholder training and public correspondence.
“Wombats act as essential “ecosystem engineers” whose burrows enhance soil health and provide critical refuge for other animals during bushfires and floods,” Copland concluded. “By prioritising collaboration and evidence-based strategies, the ACT can mitigate landholder conflicts fairly while ensuring wombats continue to support the region’s biodiversity.”
Image from: wombatprotection.org.au