NSW Department of Primary Industries

BALLARD, Guy

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Guy Ballard

Research interests

  • Managing predators: dingoes and other wild dogs, foxes, feral cats and quolls
  • Predator interactions
  • Spatial ecology / wildlife telemetry
  • Camera trapping
  • Live trapping, including foothold and cage trapping
  • Human dimensions of wildlife management

Background

Since 2007, I have been member of the Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, working on large-scale predator research, management and monitoring projects across Australia. I am a field ecologist who specialises in working with wildlife and people to achieve practical outcomes from science-based wildlife management programs. I take a ‘hands-on’ approach to research, preferring to work in the field whenever possible. I supervise a range of higher degree research students at the University of New England.

Qualifications

  • Master of Environmental Management
  • Doctor of Philosophy, New England

Current projects

  • Developing effective management strategies for feral cats
  • Assessing the safety and efficacy of Doggone baits for wild dog control
  • Preparing for the RESET project
  • Quantifying relationships between predators, prey and plants
  • Monitoring Spotted-tailed quolls
  • Spatial ecology of brush-tailed rock wallabies

Recent publications

2019 - Allen, B. L., L. R. Allen, G. Ballard, M. Drouilly, P. J. S. Fleming, J. O. Hampton, M. W. Hayward, G. I. H. Kerley, P. D. Meek, L. Minnie, M. J. O'Riain, D. M. Parker and M. J. Somers, "Animal welfare considerations for using large carnivores and guardian dogs as vertebrate biocontrol tools against other animals." Biological Conservation 232: 258-270.

2019 - Meek, P. D., S. C. Brown, J. Wishart, H. Milne, P. Aylett, S. Humphrys, G. Ballard and P. Fleming, "Efficacy of lethal-trap devices to improve the welfare of trapped wild dogs." Wildlife Research 46(1): 89-95.

2019 - Ballard, G., P. J. S. Fleming, P. D. Meek and S. Doak, "Aerial baiting and wild dog mortality in south eastern Australia." Wildlife Research In press.

2019 - Hayward, M. W., A. Callen, B. L. Allen, G. Ballard, F. Broekhuis, C. Bugir, R. H. Clarke, J. Clulow, S. Clulow, J. C. Daltry, H. T. Davies-Mostert, P. J. S. Fleming, A. S. Griffin, L. G. Howell, G. I. H. Kerley, K. Klop-Toker, S. Legge, T. Major, N. Meyer, R. A. Montgomery, K. Moseby, D. M. Parker, S. Périquet, J. Read, R. Scanlon, R. Seeto, C. Shuttleworth, M. J. Somers, C. T. Tamessar, K. Tuft, R. Upton, M. Valenzuela-Molina, A. Wayne, R. R. Witt and W. Wüster, "Should the compassionate tail wag the conservation dog?" Conservation Biology. In press.

2018 - Ballard, G., P. J. S. Fleming and P. D. Meek, "How long is a dingo’s tale?: Impacts of sampling design on our understanding of dingo ecology." Australian Zoologist 39(4): 581-590.

2018 - Fleming, P. J. S. and G. Ballard, "Yes, killing is sometimes essential for conservation." Australian Zoologist 8pp. In press.

2018 - Fleming, P. J. S., G. Ballard, N. C. Reid and J. P. Tracey, "Invasive species and their impacts on agri-ecosystems: issues and solutions for restoring ecosystem processes." The Rangeland Journal 39(6): 523-535.

2018 - Meek, P. D., G. A. Ballard and P. J. S. Fleming, "Techniques and practices of Australian pest animal trappers." Pacific Conservation Biology

2018 - Meek, P. D., G. A. Ballard, J. Sparkes, M. Robinson, B. Nesbitt and P. J. S. Fleming, "Camera trap theft and vandalism: occurrence, cost, prevention and implications for wildlife research and management." Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.

2018 - Morgan, H. R., G. Ballard, P. J. S. Fleming, N. Reid, R. van der Ven and K. Vernes, "Estimating macropod grazing density and defining activity patterns using camera trap image analysis." Wildlife Research 45: 706-717.

2017 - Allen, B. L., L. R. Allen, H. Andrén, G. Ballard, L. Boitani, R. M. Engeman, P. J. S. Fleming, A. T. Ford, P. M. Haswell, R. Kowalczyk, J. D. C. Linnell, L. David Mech and D. M. Parker, "Large carnivore science: Non-experimental studies are useful, but experiments are better." Food Webs 12: 64-75.

2017 - Allen, B. L., L. R. Allen, H. Andrén, G. Ballard, L. Boitani, R. M. Engeman, P. J. S. Fleming, A. T. Ford, P. M. Haswell, R. Kowalczyk, J. D. C. Linnell, L. David Mech and D. M. Parker, "Can we save large carnivores without losing large carnivore science?" Food Webs 12: 64-75.

2017 - Allen, B. L., L. R. Allen, G. Ballard, S. M. Jackson and P. J. S. Fleming, "A roadmap to meaningful dingo conservation." Canid Biology and Conservation 20(11): 45-56.

2017 - Fleming, P. J. S. and G. Ballard, "Homo sapiens is the apex animal: anthropocentrism as a Dionysian sword." Australian Zoologist 38(3): 464-476.

2017 - Fleming, P. J. S., H. Nolan, S. M. Jackson, G.A. Ballard, A. Bengsen, W. Y. Brown, P. D. Meek, G. Mifsud, S. K. Pal and J. Sparkes, "Roles for the Canidae in food webs reviewed: Where do they fit?" Food Webs 12: 14-34.

2017 - Legge, S., B. P. Murphy, H. McGregor, J. C. Z. Woinarski, J. Augusteyn, G. Ballard, M. Baseler, T. Buckmaster, C. R. Dickman, T. Doherty, G. Edwards, T. Eyre, B. A. Fancourt, D. Ferguson, D. M. Forsyth, W. L. Geary, M. Gentle, G. Gillespie, L. Greenwood, R. Hohnen, S. Hume, C. N. Johnson, M. Maxwell, P. J. McDonald, K. Morris, K. Moseby, T. Newsome, D. Nimmo, R. Paltridge, D. Ramsey, J. Read, A. Rendall, M. Rich, E. Ritchie, J. Rowland, J. Short, D. Stokeld, D. R. Sutherland, A. F. Wayne, L. Woodford and F. Zewe, "Enumerating a continental-scale threat: How many feral cats are in Australia?" Biological Conservation206: 293-303.

2017 - Morgan, H. R., J. T. Hunter, G. Ballard and P. J. S. Fleming, "The trophic cascades concept may constrain Australian dingo reintroduction experiments: A response to Newsome et al. (2017)." Food Webs 22: 76-87.

2017 - Morgan, H. R., J. T. Hunter, G. Ballard, N. C. H. Reid and P. J. S. Fleming, "Trophic cascades and dingoes in Australia: Does the Yellowstone wolf–elk–willow model apply?" Food Webs 13: 43-45.

2017 - Sparkes, J., G. Ballard, P. Fleming and W. Brown, "Social, conservation and economic implications of rabies in Australia." Australian Zoologist38(3): 457-463.

Professional associations and activities

  • Australasian Wildlife Management Society
  • The Australian Mammal Society
  • Royal Zoological Society of NSW
  • The Wildlife Society
  • Australian Human Dimensions Researchers Network

Fields of research

  • 050103 Invasive Species Ecology
  • 050206 Environmental Monitoring
  • 050211 Wildlife and Habitat Management
  • 060207 Population Ecology
  • 070101 Agricultural Land Management

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

  • Predator ecology
  • Predator management
  • Vertebrate pests
  • Monitoring techniques
  • Wildlife management

Contact details

Email: guy.ballard@dpi.nsw.gov.au

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au