Fraser Island Dingoes 30/6/11

Fraser Island Dingoes

Here is a must watch Video on how DERM are interfering with the Fraser Island dingoes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSSaknF6Wnw&feature=feedu


Dingoes

Dingoes have become such a problem in the state's (Sth Australia) north that the local MP is calling for the introduction of a $200-a-head bounty. Farmers are warning the viability of some sheep farming could be at risk if dingo numbers continue to grow. Liberal MP for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan has told Parliament the dingoes are "ravaging pastoral stock in SA below the dog fence" which is meant to keep them out of farming areas. "The difficulty with dingoes is they are extremely hard to shoot, to poison and to trap," Mr van Holst Pellekaan said. Dingoes are pushing south because the bumper season in the Outback is providing ideal breeding conditions. A property near Broken Hill has lost 3000 lambs to dingoes in the past two years. Dingoes are supposed to be kept out of pastoral areas by the 5320km dog fence, which runs from outside Brisbane to the Nullarbor Plain.

South of the fence, dingoes are prescribed pests which can be shot or baited. "I believe that we ought to have a system whereby people who shoot a dingo can claim a bounty from the government," Mr van Holst Pellekaan said. He said he believed the only people who should collect the bounty would be pastoralists with leases below the dog fence who were already taking part in other government programs for the culling of dingoes. SA Farmers' Federation president Peter White said reports from the pastoral country showed there could be as many as 200 dingoes breeding. "We have seen some substantial stock losses in some areas," he said. He welcomed the idea of a bounty, saying "anything we can do to reduce these numbers is certainly a good idea". If dingo numbers continued to grow, the viability of running sheep in some areas could be at risk. The Government is unlikely to support the move with Environment Department chief executive Allan Holmes saying four major studies on bounty systems in Australia had concluded they were flawed. He said Natural Resource Management boards were best placed to deal with regional problems of this sort and bounties were not one of the recommended methods. *SA News