Spatial control of invasive species in conservation landscapes

Invasive predators are a critical driver of global biodiversity loss • Invasive predators (particularly feral cats and foxes) are the cause of many native mammal extinctions throughout Australia •Well established predators cannot be eradicated due to the cost •One method to protect threatened species is exclusion fencing • Although fences are predator proof, breaches occasionally occur (tree fall, gates left open) •Managers distribute poisoned bait in a buffer around the fences, at a uniform density, to reduce the probability of a predator entering though it is unknown if this is a ‘good’ approach What distribution of poison bait minimises predator density at the fence? Problem