Another South West shire makes an ‘Owl Friendly' move as the Shire of Dardanup ditches SGAR poisons
The Shire of Dardanup has officially dropped the use of SGAR poisons following feedback from concerned residents and in support of ongoing campaigns by BirdLife Australia.
The shire is shifting to using first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides at key locations including the library, administration and community building, Eaton Recreation Centre, Eaton foreshore toilets, shire depot, Dardanup office and Dardanup Hall to continue managing any rodent infestations.
Shire chief executive Andre Schonfeldt said the change reflected the shire's strong commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible pest control practices.
'We've listened to our community and acted to ensure our pest control measures align with our values,' he said.
'SGARs may be effective at killing rodents, but they're also deadly to the animals that eat those rodents — including our owls, ospreys, lizards and even beloved pets — that's simply not good enough.
'By switching to first-generation products, which biodegrade much faster and pose far less risk to native predators, we're helping keep our wildlife safe while still managing pests effectively.'
Mr Schonfeldt said SGARs accumulated in the bodies of animals that consumed poisoned rodents, often resulting in secondary poisoning and death — especially in birds of prey that are critical to natural rodent control.
In contrast, FGARs are considered a safer alternative, as their faster breakdown reduces the likelihood of poisoning non-target species.
He said BirdLife Australia had long advocated against the use of SGARs, encouraging all levels of government to adopt safer baiting methods and help protect native bird populations.
'The Shire of Dardanup proudly stands alongside these efforts and supports the work of BirdLife Bunbury in its local conservation endeavours,' Mr Schonfeldt said.
'The transition involved coordinating multiple product changes across different service providers — an effort the shire sees as a small but important step in protecting the region's precious biodiversity.
This is about doing the right thing — for our environment, our wildlife and our future. We're proud to be leading by example.'
The shire's move comes just shortly after the Shire of Harvey voted unanimously to become an Owl Friendly shire along with several other local governments across the State.
Birdlife Bunbury convenor Diane Cavanagh congratulated the Shire of Dardanup for the shift away from SGARs.
'It is wonderful to see the Shire of Dardanup implementing rodenticide control methods which protect local birdlife from lethal second generation rodenticides,' she said.
'Every initiative which helps stem the decline in local native birdlife helps sustain the precious biodiversity which surrounds us in WA's South West.'
The Eaton Community Library recently hosted an informative session on rat baiting through its monthly free Planet Matters events. For more information, check out the Library's website at https://www.dardanup.wa.gov.au/events/library.
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