The B.C. government's Vancouver Island wolf extermination program has allowed "monster" hybrids to take over the region, a team of scientists have said. From the 1920s until the 1970s, provincial officials tried to rid Vancouver Island of wolves so sport hunters would find it easier to hunt black-tailed deer, the wolves' principal prey.
So when a few hardy wolves swam across from the northern B.C. mainland in the early 1980s, some were unable to find mates. Instead, they mated with stray dogs. The result, according to researchers from the University of Sweden, the Smithsonian Institution and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, was something never documented before in the wild, animals that were neither wolves nor dogs. Their research is published in the latest edition of the journal Conservation Genetics.
So-called wolf hybrids are bred purposely by some breeders as pets, though they are regarded by animal welfare groups as potentially dangerous. They had never been documented in the wild before.
This hybridisation is known in Australia too, between dingoes and stray dogs, usually dogs that have been lost by hunters. As some of these stray dogs are used for catching wild pigs, they are large and ferocious. Some bushwalkers have reported seeing wild dingo/dog hybrids with Great Dane heads and bodies. Clearly these are very dangerous animals. As well, the hybrids can breed twice a year, instead of only once year as dingoes.
Some of the last purebred dingoes in Australia are now believed to be on Fraser Island, where the Government is killng them off by starving them to death, and killing them if they think they may be a risk to tourists.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Harvey Bay Dingo Day a Huge Success.
The Dingo Day at Hervey Bay was attended by hundreds of people, all keen to support the cessation of kiling the Fraser Island Dingoes. While the Queensland Government bumbles along in its usual incompetent fashion, dingoes are being killed for no good reason. No documented evidence is gathered to show the dingo is dangerous, they just have to look sideways at a tourist to be killed by a "Ranger". They same imbeded stupidity is shown by the Queensland Government towards shark nets. 20 years of lobbying to get rid of the shark nets (that kill hundreds of whales, dugongs, and turtles, all endangered) the Governemt refuses to consider removing them...all to protect the tourist Industry.
Some photos of the dingo Day are below, and the local newspaper report as well.
Gathered together to show their concern for the dingoes of Fraser Island, member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen addressed the crowd and warned that the purest strain of dingo in Australia could become the next Tasmanian tiger if dingo management on the island didn't change. Dingo Day was held at Apex Park in Hervey Bay yesterday and several volunteers walked around educating the crowd while Mr Sorensen delivered his address. There was also singing, dancing and story-telling from the Butchulla community, relating traditional tales of Fraser Island and the dingoes. Ensuring the dingoes' future should be a priority but questioned the State Government's management policies, he said. “Every time a dingo looks at someone they are destroyed.”
Mr Sorensen said the dingoes were an important part of what brought people to Fraser Island. “Let's be proud of what we've got.” Malcolm Kilpatrick, who helped organised the event, also spoke yesterday. “Ten or more (dingoes) have been killed on the island - and that's 10 too many,” he said. Mr Kilpatrick said it was great to see so many people out in support of the dingoes. “We have to make people aware of the plight of the dingoes. “That is why we are having this awareness day.” Butchulla elder Marie Wilkinson also spoke, saying she would do everything she could to fight for the dingoes. * Fraser Coast Chronicle
Some photos of the dingo Day are below, and the local newspaper report as well.
Gathered together to show their concern for the dingoes of Fraser Island, member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen addressed the crowd and warned that the purest strain of dingo in Australia could become the next Tasmanian tiger if dingo management on the island didn't change. Dingo Day was held at Apex Park in Hervey Bay yesterday and several volunteers walked around educating the crowd while Mr Sorensen delivered his address. There was also singing, dancing and story-telling from the Butchulla community, relating traditional tales of Fraser Island and the dingoes. Ensuring the dingoes' future should be a priority but questioned the State Government's management policies, he said. “Every time a dingo looks at someone they are destroyed.”
Mr Sorensen said the dingoes were an important part of what brought people to Fraser Island. “Let's be proud of what we've got.” Malcolm Kilpatrick, who helped organised the event, also spoke yesterday. “Ten or more (dingoes) have been killed on the island - and that's 10 too many,” he said. Mr Kilpatrick said it was great to see so many people out in support of the dingoes. “We have to make people aware of the plight of the dingoes. “That is why we are having this awareness day.” Butchulla elder Marie Wilkinson also spoke, saying she would do everything she could to fight for the dingoes. * Fraser Coast Chronicle
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Fraser Island Dingo Day
Save the Fraser Island Dingoes Committee are hosting a Dingo Day at Hervey Bay on the 20th September at Apex park, Pialba. from 10 am to 2 pm. Indigenous dancers, story telling, speakers, sausage sizzle, etc. Come along and learn about the Fraser Island dingo!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fraser Island Dingoes Okay?
The Queensland government's strategy to manage Fraser Island's dingoes has been backed by an independent audit. The audit, by dingo expert Dr Laurie Corbett, has found the strategy of educating visitors, training rangers and erecting fencing in strategic locations, has reduced the risk posed to humans by dingoes on the popular holiday island. Environment Minister Kate Jones told state parliament on Tuesday there had been no incidents of dingo aggression within the fenced areas, and the audit had endorsed further training for rangers to educate visitors about dingo habits. Dr Corbett had also found evidence contrary to the popular opinion the island's dingoes were starving, Ms Jones said.
"His examination found there was an increase in the average size of the adult dingo on Fraser Island, from 16 kilograms to 18.3 kilograms," she said. "Most importantly Dr Corbett found that research to date has indicated that there is adequate natural prey for a sustainable dingo population on the island." Ms Jones said Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service would do further research to confirm this. The issue of dingoes on Fraser Island has split experts, with some saying the population is close to being wiped out.Ten dingoes have been destroyed this year, including one last month, after an attack on a four-year-old boy. *Sunshine Coast Daily
Ed Comment; No surprises here, Corbett designed the origonal Dingo Management Plan, now he produces an "independent report" saying everything is fine.....
"His examination found there was an increase in the average size of the adult dingo on Fraser Island, from 16 kilograms to 18.3 kilograms," she said. "Most importantly Dr Corbett found that research to date has indicated that there is adequate natural prey for a sustainable dingo population on the island." Ms Jones said Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service would do further research to confirm this. The issue of dingoes on Fraser Island has split experts, with some saying the population is close to being wiped out.Ten dingoes have been destroyed this year, including one last month, after an attack on a four-year-old boy. *Sunshine Coast Daily
Ed Comment; No surprises here, Corbett designed the origonal Dingo Management Plan, now he produces an "independent report" saying everything is fine.....
Dingoes should be re-introduced?
Dingoes
In South Australia the dog fence has been keeping dingo movements in the State's north out for over 100 years. A Sydney academic, University of Sydney Researcher Mike Letniksays dingoes should be allowed through the fence to roam in National Parks to control foxes and feral cats that threaten native wildlife. However, State Liberal MP Graham Gunn says pastoralists have enough pressure on them as it is, without having to worry about dingoes killing their sheep. *ABC
In South Australia the dog fence has been keeping dingo movements in the State's north out for over 100 years. A Sydney academic, University of Sydney Researcher Mike Letniksays dingoes should be allowed through the fence to roam in National Parks to control foxes and feral cats that threaten native wildlife. However, State Liberal MP Graham Gunn says pastoralists have enough pressure on them as it is, without having to worry about dingoes killing their sheep. *ABC
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Qld Gov. Search and Grab!
Following hot on the heels of a State and Federal Police raid on the NSW Animal Liberation offices in Sydney a few weeks ago, where all their kangaroo campaign material was siezed and removed, we now have another police raid....this time in Queensland....and this time on a private home. Last week Police and QPWS staff raided the home of a woman photographer on Fraser Island...at 7 am in the morning! Her computer hard drives, her dingo paintings, dingo fridge magnets, photographs, manuscripts, even the dingo autopsy reports gathered under FOI where seized and taken. On the search warrant, they were looking for dog food.
This is Queensland 2009, under a Labor Government!
Save the Fraser Island Dingo Committee are hosting a Dingo Day at Hervey Bay on the 20th September at Apex park, Pialba. from 10 am to 2 pm. Indigenous dancers, story telling, speakers, sausage sizzle, etc. Come along and learn about the Fraser Island dingo!
Our weekly wildlife newsletter Wildlife Bytes will be a tad late next week as we will be away, but much more is yet to come out about the terrible Fraser Island dingo eradication campaign mounted by the Queensland Government against the Fraser Island dingoes....and against those who fight to protect them.
Meanwhile the Fraser Island dingo eradication campaign continues. Queensland's Department of Environment says a dingo that lunged at a child on Fraser Island yesterday (28 th October) has been destroyed. The three-year-old boy was playing at Eurong Beach at the time of the incident. He was not injured. The female dingo involved was found and killed last night.
*************************************
Dingo grids are continually overflowing with sand allowing dingoes and visitors to walk across them, says Fraser Island resident Judi Daniel. “Only one year on, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on Fraser Island seems to have lost interest in maintaining its million dollar electrified dingo grids,” Ms Daniel said. “Having watched the beachfront grid at Eurong fill to overflowing with sand in recent weeks, in the space of five minutes I saw several groups of people casually walking across the electrified tripwires.” Ms Daniel described the grids as “totally overflowing” and said the front grid at Eurong filled up with sand “easily once a month”. She questioned the need for the grids considering the number of people and equipment used to clean them out. “Is it worth it?” Terry Harper, senior director of marine parks at the Department of Environment and Resource Management, has defended grid maintenance.
“The dingo grids are cleaned out as often as necessary. Frequency depends on the effects on sand movement, of wind velocity and direction, volume of rain and amount of vehicle traffic. “QPWS is working closely with Fraser Coast Regional Council engineers to improve the drainage system and consider design modifications for easier access to clean out sand from grids.” Mr Harper said electrified wires on the grids were the more important element in deterring dingoes from entering townships. *Network Item
**********************************
The State Government has defended the actions of Environment officers in raiding the home of a woman suspected of feeding dingoes on Fraser Island. A police officer and five Environment and Resource Management officers searched Jennifer Parkhurst's home early yesterday morning at Rainbow Beach, near the island's southern end. Opposition environment spokesman Glen Elmes accused the department of using Gestapo-style tactics to enforce its policies on culling dingoes – which are opposed by island residents, conservationists and animal rights activists. Mr Elmes said the raid raised bigger issues about the treatment of people who dared to question government policies. "This is the sort of thing you'd expect in the Joh Bjelke-Petersen days," he said. "This is a disgrace, using (government) staff like some sort of Gestapo agents.
"They've searched everything from her hard drive to her undie drawer. "Think of all the important issues over there like water quality, backpackers and visitor numbers, yet they put resources into something like this." Mr Elmes said locals had told him that trapped dingoes were injected with Suprelorin, a temporary chemical castration. Ms Parkhurst, a commercial photographer, said the six-hour raid started at 7am and photographs, videos, computer hard drives and personal material were seized. The warrant sought evidence of dry dog food, dried pig ears, butchery bones and Smackos, among other items. "I guess they are trying to find anything to show I've been feeding them," she said. "They say I've been interfering with dingoes while taking photos."
Ms Parkhurst would not say whether she had fed dingoes but said many islanders had. "Lots of people have been caught and fined," she said. "People have had dingoes sleeping in their houses and food bowls on their verandahs but none have had their houses searched like I have. "They don't like anyone telling them they are wrong. I've been trying to stop dogs being hazed and tagged, and juveniles being killed by rangers and they don't like it." A spokeswoman for Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said Mr Elmes' claims about the raid were unfounded and showed disregard for public safety.
Dingoes were creatures that should be interfered with as little as possible. Ms Parkhurst, a member of the National Dingo Preservation and Recovery Program, said she believed the raid stemmed from a freedom of information search she did on autopsies conducted on 95 dingoes euthanased by rangers. "I've been vocal about management and also have been writing a book," she said. "They've been trying to find out what's in it." *Courier Mail
This is Queensland 2009, under a Labor Government!
Save the Fraser Island Dingo Committee are hosting a Dingo Day at Hervey Bay on the 20th September at Apex park, Pialba. from 10 am to 2 pm. Indigenous dancers, story telling, speakers, sausage sizzle, etc. Come along and learn about the Fraser Island dingo!
Our weekly wildlife newsletter Wildlife Bytes will be a tad late next week as we will be away, but much more is yet to come out about the terrible Fraser Island dingo eradication campaign mounted by the Queensland Government against the Fraser Island dingoes....and against those who fight to protect them.
Meanwhile the Fraser Island dingo eradication campaign continues. Queensland's Department of Environment says a dingo that lunged at a child on Fraser Island yesterday (28 th October) has been destroyed. The three-year-old boy was playing at Eurong Beach at the time of the incident. He was not injured. The female dingo involved was found and killed last night.
*************************************
Dingo grids are continually overflowing with sand allowing dingoes and visitors to walk across them, says Fraser Island resident Judi Daniel. “Only one year on, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on Fraser Island seems to have lost interest in maintaining its million dollar electrified dingo grids,” Ms Daniel said. “Having watched the beachfront grid at Eurong fill to overflowing with sand in recent weeks, in the space of five minutes I saw several groups of people casually walking across the electrified tripwires.” Ms Daniel described the grids as “totally overflowing” and said the front grid at Eurong filled up with sand “easily once a month”. She questioned the need for the grids considering the number of people and equipment used to clean them out. “Is it worth it?” Terry Harper, senior director of marine parks at the Department of Environment and Resource Management, has defended grid maintenance.
“The dingo grids are cleaned out as often as necessary. Frequency depends on the effects on sand movement, of wind velocity and direction, volume of rain and amount of vehicle traffic. “QPWS is working closely with Fraser Coast Regional Council engineers to improve the drainage system and consider design modifications for easier access to clean out sand from grids.” Mr Harper said electrified wires on the grids were the more important element in deterring dingoes from entering townships. *Network Item
**********************************
The State Government has defended the actions of Environment officers in raiding the home of a woman suspected of feeding dingoes on Fraser Island. A police officer and five Environment and Resource Management officers searched Jennifer Parkhurst's home early yesterday morning at Rainbow Beach, near the island's southern end. Opposition environment spokesman Glen Elmes accused the department of using Gestapo-style tactics to enforce its policies on culling dingoes – which are opposed by island residents, conservationists and animal rights activists. Mr Elmes said the raid raised bigger issues about the treatment of people who dared to question government policies. "This is the sort of thing you'd expect in the Joh Bjelke-Petersen days," he said. "This is a disgrace, using (government) staff like some sort of Gestapo agents.
"They've searched everything from her hard drive to her undie drawer. "Think of all the important issues over there like water quality, backpackers and visitor numbers, yet they put resources into something like this." Mr Elmes said locals had told him that trapped dingoes were injected with Suprelorin, a temporary chemical castration. Ms Parkhurst, a commercial photographer, said the six-hour raid started at 7am and photographs, videos, computer hard drives and personal material were seized. The warrant sought evidence of dry dog food, dried pig ears, butchery bones and Smackos, among other items. "I guess they are trying to find anything to show I've been feeding them," she said. "They say I've been interfering with dingoes while taking photos."
Ms Parkhurst would not say whether she had fed dingoes but said many islanders had. "Lots of people have been caught and fined," she said. "People have had dingoes sleeping in their houses and food bowls on their verandahs but none have had their houses searched like I have. "They don't like anyone telling them they are wrong. I've been trying to stop dogs being hazed and tagged, and juveniles being killed by rangers and they don't like it." A spokeswoman for Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said Mr Elmes' claims about the raid were unfounded and showed disregard for public safety.
Dingoes were creatures that should be interfered with as little as possible. Ms Parkhurst, a member of the National Dingo Preservation and Recovery Program, said she believed the raid stemmed from a freedom of information search she did on autopsies conducted on 95 dingoes euthanased by rangers. "I've been vocal about management and also have been writing a book," she said. "They've been trying to find out what's in it." *Courier Mail
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
State Gov. Fraser Is. Dingo Audit..21/7/09
Dingoes
The State Government will undertake a dingo 'census' and erect dingo fencing with council around the main waste station on Fraser Island, Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Ms Jones said today. Ms Jones told her Budget Estimates hearing an independent audit of the State Government's Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy was being finalised. She said these new measures would help form the Great Sandy Region package currently being implemented by the Bligh Government. "I'm advised world renowned dingo expert Dr Laurie Corbett is currently in the final stages of his audit," Ms Jones said. "While he's advised that there appears to be a healthy dingo population with enough natural prey, I want to be fully satisfied that dingoes are prevalent on the island. "I've approved a research project so we can be more certain of the numbers.
"While data collected over the past decade suggest the Fraser Island dingo population naturally fluctuates between about 100 and 200 animals, made up of 25 to 30 separate packs, we're due for another 'count'. "The Department of Environment and Resource Management is working with The University of Queensland, Griffith University and Biosecurity Queensland to draw together various techniques so that more accurate figures can be provided. "The survey will provide a better understanding not only of total numbers but also of other factors such as dingo dispersal across the island, the total number of packs, and the age and composition of those packs. "This type of information, together with that provided by Dr Corbett, will allow us to further fine-tune management strategies for a sustainable dingo population, while ensuring public safety." Ms Jones said DERM was always exploring ways to reduce the risk of human-dingo interaction and in the past had fenced major tourist areas and townships. "The waste transfer station at Eurong is a hot spot right now for dingoes seeking easy assess to human food," she said.
"DERM is working with the Fraser Coast Regional Council to erect dingo deterrent fencing around the area. "The State Government is providing $100,000 towards the project. "Visitor education regarding dingo awareness and safety procedures is also a vital part of our Strategy. "DERM is reviewing the communications strategies used to educate visitors and the public about appropriate behaviour near dingoes in line with my request in June to ensure the approach remains at world's best practice standards. "I reiterate that whatever dingo management activities are undertaken, our number one priority is public safety." Ms Jones said Dr Corbett's audit would be based on reports and statistical data from current research, field observations at major visitor locations, discussions with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and more than 70 public submissions. "Dr Corbett's independent audit is part of a continuing assessment of existing management strategies to ensure they contribute to the conservation of a sustainable wild dingo population on Fraser Island while minimising the risk to humans," she said. "I will release his audit report when it is finalised." *ALP media Release
Ed Comment; Its a bit hard to see how this will be an independent audit, when it's done by the State Government, and by Laurie Corbett, the person responsible for the current Fraser Island Dingo Management Plan.
The State Government will undertake a dingo 'census' and erect dingo fencing with council around the main waste station on Fraser Island, Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Ms Jones said today. Ms Jones told her Budget Estimates hearing an independent audit of the State Government's Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy was being finalised. She said these new measures would help form the Great Sandy Region package currently being implemented by the Bligh Government. "I'm advised world renowned dingo expert Dr Laurie Corbett is currently in the final stages of his audit," Ms Jones said. "While he's advised that there appears to be a healthy dingo population with enough natural prey, I want to be fully satisfied that dingoes are prevalent on the island. "I've approved a research project so we can be more certain of the numbers.
"While data collected over the past decade suggest the Fraser Island dingo population naturally fluctuates between about 100 and 200 animals, made up of 25 to 30 separate packs, we're due for another 'count'. "The Department of Environment and Resource Management is working with The University of Queensland, Griffith University and Biosecurity Queensland to draw together various techniques so that more accurate figures can be provided. "The survey will provide a better understanding not only of total numbers but also of other factors such as dingo dispersal across the island, the total number of packs, and the age and composition of those packs. "This type of information, together with that provided by Dr Corbett, will allow us to further fine-tune management strategies for a sustainable dingo population, while ensuring public safety." Ms Jones said DERM was always exploring ways to reduce the risk of human-dingo interaction and in the past had fenced major tourist areas and townships. "The waste transfer station at Eurong is a hot spot right now for dingoes seeking easy assess to human food," she said.
"DERM is working with the Fraser Coast Regional Council to erect dingo deterrent fencing around the area. "The State Government is providing $100,000 towards the project. "Visitor education regarding dingo awareness and safety procedures is also a vital part of our Strategy. "DERM is reviewing the communications strategies used to educate visitors and the public about appropriate behaviour near dingoes in line with my request in June to ensure the approach remains at world's best practice standards. "I reiterate that whatever dingo management activities are undertaken, our number one priority is public safety." Ms Jones said Dr Corbett's audit would be based on reports and statistical data from current research, field observations at major visitor locations, discussions with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and more than 70 public submissions. "Dr Corbett's independent audit is part of a continuing assessment of existing management strategies to ensure they contribute to the conservation of a sustainable wild dingo population on Fraser Island while minimising the risk to humans," she said. "I will release his audit report when it is finalised." *ALP media Release
Ed Comment; Its a bit hard to see how this will be an independent audit, when it's done by the State Government, and by Laurie Corbett, the person responsible for the current Fraser Island Dingo Management Plan.
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