Australia was 'pest-free' before Europeans
	Killer koalas: in plague proportions on Kangaroo Island
By Julian Lee Australia was untroubled by pests before European settlement, says one ANU biologist, not because they did not exist but because there was no farming. Dr Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe will address the Pests and People: Prospects for 2020 symposium to be held on May 1 at the Australian Academy of Science. "The concept of a pest is a human one and so, traditionally, any animal that interferes with agriculture is defined as a pest," Dr Tyndale-Biscoe, of the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS), said. Records from the 1830s show that native animals - bandicoots, wallabies and kangaroos - were considered terrible pests at the time. "More recently, the transformation of Australia into a farm removed many small marsupial habitats, causing a decline in their numbers," he said. "This only started to impinge on the public consciousness in the 1970s." This awareness has seen the inclusion of agricultural species that interfere with the natural environment, such as cotton, sheep and cattle, as pests. On Kangaroo Island, locals are having a problem of another kind. Koalas which were introduced early in the century - when they were in danger of extinction on the mainland - are now in plague proportions and are killing the gum trees they depend on. "They ought to be treated as a pest, as they are destroying the environment. It is ironic, the locals can kill kangaroos native to the island, but not introduced koalas because of the special perception we have of koalas. "We have gone full circle - from regarding native species as pests to exotics and now back to natives - in what we regard as pests. It is just another indicator of how our perception at any period is what defines something as a pest or not - it is clearly a human concept," he said. As convenor of the symposium, Dr Tyndale-Biscoe has brought together experts in various methods of pest control to review modern pest management. "In the past we tried to eradicate pests, however nobody believes this is possible any more. We have moved to integrated pest management where we try to work with the environment and use a variety of different tools to minimise the effects of pests. "Pests are a part of the Australian landscape now and in some cases it may be more effective to change farm practices than try to eradicate them," he said. With many solutions based on genetic engineering, Dr Tyndale-Biscoe expects heated debate on the issue. "I get a sense of deja vu sometimes. After World War II, scientists made claims about fertilisers and pesticides, much like scientists are today about the potential for genetic engineering. "We now know that some of their claims were inaccurate and that there were some undesirable consequences," he said. Despite this, Dr Tyndale-Biscoe is certain genetic engineering will be capable of remarkable subtlety in the future. However he stresses the importance of understanding the price for using genetic engineering solutions. While rural pest control has moved to a more rational basis, urban pest control, as epitomised by cockroach bombs, is less enlightened. "The urban perception of pests is still back in the early 20th century," he said. "It is stuck in a 'kill-em-dead' mentality."