Pest animals
Because it is so close to urban areas, Kamay Botany Bay National Park suffers the effects of introduced animals. Cats and dogs (both wild and domestic) disturb and kill native wildlife - as do foxes, which are widespread throughout NSW. Meanwhile rabbits, which are a particular problem around La Perouse, damage local vegetation and compete with native animals for food.
Weeds
Kamay Botany Bay National Park was created in 1984, the land in various parts of the park had been used for recreation, military purposes, sand mining and rubbish dumping. This has left the park with major weed problems, particularly in its northern section around La Perouse.
Weeds are introduced plant species that take over bushland areas, replacing native plants by depriving them of light and nutrients. Many weeds were already growing in the Botany Bay area when the park was created. However, others have since entered the park from neighbouring urban areas - mainly through dumped garden cuttings and stormwater.
Bitou bush, a noxious weed which has strangled areas of native scrub all along the NSW coast, is well established at Cape Banks in La Perouse. It also occurs on the coastal dunes at Kurnell
