Yellow Crazy Ants (YCA)

YCA were first detected in Cairns in 2001 and it is thought they arrived via shipping. They originate from Africa but are an invasive species in Australia impacting wildlife, domestic animals and humans.

The Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) are the agency leading the YCA eradication program. WTMA first engaged NQLMS in 2017 to train first nations on-ground groups on remote area survey techniques. Within a couple of months NQLMS were contracted to conduct remote surveying in World Heritage Rainforests mainly in the escarpment areas south of Cairns. Surveying requires us to walk transects lay down lures and all points are collected on GPS’s and uploaded daily into the WTMA data based. We continue to work on this program where inroads have been made in the eradication process.

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