Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L00219:body:0:p18
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L00219
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 51550–54608

feral cats (Environment Australia 1999) as one of the species for which feral cats are a known or suspected threat.

         Cats are controlled through trapping and removal. National priorities for cat control are defined in the Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats.

         Predation and competition by other introduced and native vertebrates

         The crimson rosella (Platycerus elegans), introduced to Norfolk Island and known locally as the red parrot, is a direct competitor of the endangered green parrot. It eats similar
         foods, has similar nesting requirements and has also been known to break eggs and eject chicks from green parrot nests.

         Feral fowl have increased their range and numbers on Norfolk Island. Anecdotal observations indicate that in the park and botanic garden feral fowl are changing the soil moisture regime through extensive disturbance of litter, reducing germination, disturbing seedling roots of rainforest plants, and reducing numbers of some invertebrates– including critically endangered land snails.

         Native species may also impact adversely on one another from time to time or at particular locations. A population of Australasian swamphens (Porphyrio melanotus) have become established on Phillip Island during the life of the previous plan. The presence
         of swamphens is impacting upon the breeding of seabirds as a result of the swamphens destroying and eating eggs and killing young chicks. Sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscata) in particular have been observed in fewer numbers on Phillip Island and appear to be increasing on Norfolk Island, possibly changing their nesting sites as a result of the emerging threat. The presence of sooty terns on Norfolk Island brings a new threat to the nesting birds–exposure to the threat of predation by feral cats and rats.

Invasive invertebrates

         Close to 1,200 invertebrate taxa have been recorded on Norfolk Island, including 421 species which had not been recorded prior to 2014. It is not clear how many of these invertebrates are exotic or invasive and their potential impacts are also unknown.

         A new arrival on Norfolk Island is the palm seed borer (Coccotrypes dactyliperda), an invasive 1.5–2.5 millimetre beetle that breeds in palm seeds, compromising plant reproduction. It could potentially impact on the island's kentia palm industry, but the likely impacts on the island's one indigenous palm species, Norfolk Island Palm
         (Rhopalostylis bauerii) are unknown. Initial investigations indicate the beetle is found in the seeds of large numbers of Norfolk Island Palm seed.

         The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) has the potential to cause serious harm to Norfolk Island's wildlife. Forming super-colonies, the Argentine Ant competitively displaces most other ant species which in turn compromises ecosystem processes such as soil aeration, nutrient cycling and seed dispersal. Additionally, ground nesting seabirds and rare species such as the green parrot and Norfolk robin