SMART-phone users can now access the latest information about Australia’s worst pest animals via the new ‘Field Guide to Pest Animals of Australia’ App, developed by the Invasive Animals CRC.

The App is the first of its kind in Australia, providing Smart-phone users with the opportunity to learn about 31 of Australia’s worst pest animals, the damage they cause, and how to identify them in the field.

Andreas Glanznig, chief executive of the Invasive Animals CRC, said Australia had 56 vertebrate pest species costing at least $1 billion annually in economic, environmental and social impacts.

“This app contains detailed species descriptions, photo galleries, maps, control techniques and quick links to plenty of useful pest control resources for 31 vertebrate pest species in Australia,” he said.

A press release issued by Invasive Animals CRC said some of the many resources available through the App include PestSmart Toolkits, FeralScan webmapping, and www.feral.org.au.

Farmers and graziers, land managers, landcare groups, students, school teachers, universities, local councils, pest controllers, wildlife enthusiasts, and the general public can all use the App to learn about wild dogs, feral pigs, mice, rabbits, foxes, cane toads, carp, myna birds and many more species.

NSW Department of Primary Industries project manager for the IA CRC, Peter West, said the App also contains audio calls and photos of footprints, tracks, and droppings, making it a lot easier to quickly identify pest animals in the user’s local area as well as learn about some of the emerging pest animal threats to our environment, agriculture and communities.

“All areas of Australia have pest animals, and this mobile phone app will allow users to identify what pest animals occur in their area,” Mr West said.

“Users who download the program can access this information anywhere and anytime, making it a highly practical tool for use in the field. It can also be used as a reference tool, or in classroom settings.

“If you’ve ever wanted to know how to tell the difference between the footprints of foxes and wild dogs, or what colour eye shine feral cats have, this App is for you,” he said.

The App ‘Field Guide to Pest Animals of Australia’ can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store at https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/field-guide-to-pest-animals/id634197149?mt=8.

The App is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. The Invasive Animals CRC is looking at developing an Android version in the near future.

Partners to the project include the Invasive Animals CRC, PestSmart, NSW DPI and the Cooperative Research Centres Program.

• For further information on the App, contact the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre email: contact@invasiveanimals.com or phone (02) 6201 2890.