Feral Friday: reporting back on wild dogs

This month, Friday Feedback is putting the spotlight on invasive animals and the tools available to help manage them. Here's a closer look at what's happening with wild dogs.

Fast facts

Dingoes were brought to Australia from Asia by Aboriginal people approximately 4,000 years ago and, since European settlement, have been interbreeding with domestic dogs.
Wild dogs cause at least $89.3 million/year damage to the livestock production industries (estimates range from $48 million to $111 million).
Wild dogs directly threaten native mammals, birds and reptiles.

Industry action

The National Wild Dog Action Plan was developed in 2014. It's supported by the federal government and industry, and outlines the principles of best practice management for wild dogs.

These principles underpin each state's plan and provide important guidance to help producers formulate effective, best practice, humane management programs.

What can producers do?

Nil-tenure approach: This approach acknowledges that wild dogs don't recognise property boundaries and encourages community-driven, collaborative control programs. Talk to your local agriculture department or government agency to connect with established groups, learn basic skills and get professional support.

Common control tools: Baiting (1080 and PAPP, Canid Pest Ejectors), trapping, shooting, exclusion fencing and guardian animals are the most commonly used tools, and are often used in combination as part of a coordinated control program. PestSmart's Glovebox Guide for Managing Wild Dogs is a great resource to find out which tools will work best for different situations.

NOTE: Wild dog management is a state jurisdiction so requirements differ depending on where control is being carried out. Check with your local group and/or state department before starting a control program.

Useful links

Do you have a wild dog problem? This guide from PestSmart outlines key management strategies to get it under control.

Before you start, get involved in WildDogScan. Log your sightings/impacts and see what other wild dog activity is happening around you to better inform your management strategy:

Queensland exclusion fencing: notjustafence.org

PestSmart provides detailed advice on:

Ground shooting of wild dogs
Using padded-jaw traps
Using cage traps
A field guide to poison baiting wild dogs and foxes
Ground baiting of wild dogs with 1080
Aerial baiting of wild dogs with 1080
Canid pest ejectors -YouTube video
Guardian dogs -Best practice manual
Cost-effective fencing for areas of high conservation value
Catalogue of fence designs

/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

You might also like