Water is so scarse in SA to the point that when there is a shower or downpour the wombats even in broad daylight take the opportunity and drink from puddles on the road. Unfortunately, people still run over the animal even when it is easy to see.
By installing water stations surrounded by the 'rollbar' system, we can cover alot of animals as they will travel to these stations for water.
Pros: Many animals can be treated and will also relieve some stress from the drought. This system although complex could possibly save these animals from not only a terrible death, but from extinction.
Cons: A Wide area has to be covered. The Murraylands colony covers 300 square kilometres. A water station would need to be installed at 2.5 km increments.
The cost would be expensive but considering the amount of funds spent to try and save the poor Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat, considerations should be made. Bear in mind that not all populations in the Murraylands have Sarcoptic Mange. The areas that don't have mange have less food and water for the wombats and subsequently we receive more drought affected wombats from these areas, in this case, the water stations would provide much needed relief.
Foxes are the biggest carrier of Sarcoptic Mange. Wombats are not the only animals that are susceptible, cattle, dogs and cats - animals vital to the farmer can also be infected.
A bounty needs to be placed back onto the fox to give land owners incentives of fox eradication.
Rabbits are the biggest competition for wombat food. This places so much stress on the wombat, they become susceptible to disease and to the mange.
By establishing a pest eradication unit within the states wombats inhabit, we can build a relationship with landholders by offering them free pest eradication and/or wombat gates in return for allowing wombats to remain on thier properties. This could act as a protective glove to the species.
Do you have any suggestions we could employ to tackle the Sarcoptic Mange epidemic?
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The facts of the bug killing our Wombats!
Sarcoptic Mange is a microscopic mite that penetrates the skin of wombats causing immense irritation, infection, pneumonia, blindness and starvation. The main carrier of this mite is the introduced fox (Vulpes vulpes) who also resides in wombat burrows.
The mite can live without a host in the burrow for up to three weeks as they prefer a cool, humid environment and is generally more prominent in the winter months. The mite can infect many residents at a rapid rate. Out of the burrow and without a host, the mite can still survive for up to three days.
Sarcoptic mange seems to be a selective mite only effecting animals that are already under stress. This devastating mite has, in combination with the drought started to take a hold of the Murraylands colony of Southern Hairy Nosed Wombats which is declining at an alarming rate. In fact 80% of certain populations within this colony perished in 2004-2005 from mange.
Successful Wide Scale Treatments:
The Bare Nosed Wombat has also suffered from this devastating mite for many years. Some residents have undertaken supervised treating of the mange by erecting 'rollbars' on known wombat pathways. As the wombat goes under the fence and rollbar, it is administered a dose of Ivomectin or Cydectin. A whole valley has completely eradicated mange from the wombat population with this method.
Bare Nosed Wombat with Sarcoptic Mange
Note: The whole body is infested yet body condition is good
Why SA Needs to undertake a different method:
The Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat is a little more difficult to treat in the wild as they inhabit complex burrow systems with other wombats unlike the Bare Nose who lives a solitary existence. The Southern Hairy Nose lives in arid to semi - arid areas and have many entrances to a burrow system, using the above method is not viable as there are few fences and far too many burrow entrances and burrow systems to physically and financially allow for rollbars to be placed outside each entrance.
