What Should a Feral Animal Control Report Include?

A professional feral animal control report is the primary evidence that a landholder has met their General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO). It is also the document used for insurance claims, NRM and council grant applications, land management plans and biosecurity audit records. Not all reports are equal — here’s what a properly documented report should contain.

Operator and Property Details

• Operator full name, ABN and relevant licences or authorisations
• Property address, lot on plan (if available) and landholder name
• Operation date/s
• Area covered (approximate hectares)

Control Method

• Method used (e.g. ground-based thermal imaging shooting)
• Equipment description (thermal scope type and calibre)
• Number of operators and nights

Results and GPS Documentation

• Total cull count by species — broken down per night where multi-night operation
• GPS-logged cull locations — individual or cluster points for each encounter, exportable as KML or shapefile
• Activity hotspot map — showing distribution of activity across the property
• Pre-operation population density estimate — based on sign assessment and/or survey data
• Post-operation density estimate — for comparison and follow-up planning

Carcass Management Record

• Method of carcass disposal (haul-off, burial, burning)
• Location of disposal where relevant

Property Condition Notes and Recommendations

• Notes on terrain, access conditions and any limitations encountered during the operation
• Follow-up recommendation — timing and suggested approach for next operation
• Notes on pressure from adjacent properties or state forest (if relevant)