Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, upon notice, on 23 August 2012:

With reference to the aerial dingo baiting trial being conducted to reduce dingo populations below the Dog Fence in the South Australian Arid Lands region:

(1)   What changes have occurred in the region to require an aerial baiting trial.

(2)   How much has been allocated in funding from Australian Wool Innovation Limited, and what are the: (a) conditions for the funding; and (b) deliverables.

(3)   How many dingoes are anticipated to be baited.

(4)   What are the identified causes for the increased dingo population.

(5)   Has any research been conducted on the link between camels that have been shot and left to rot, and dingo feeding habits.

(6)   What percentage of other animals or birds are likely to be inadvertently baited in the trial.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the senator’s question is as follows:

(1)   The number of dingos/wild dogs inside the South Australian Dog Fence has gradually increased over the past few years, as it has in rangeland ‘sheep zones’ in other states. This has occurred for several reasons:

(2)   Advice from Australian Wool Innovation Limited is that $163 000 has been invested in dingo/wild dog control below the Dog Fence in the South Australian Arid Lands region. This funding has been for:

(3)   No targets for “dingos baited” were set for the trial.

(4)   Refer to the response to Q(1).

(5)   No.

(6)   Research to date suggests that wild dog baits do not pose a significant threat to any off-target wildlife populations in the region.

The high sensitivity of wild dogs to the toxin, in comparison with native carnivores, means that baits can be prepared that carry a toxin dose too low to be toxic to native animals of the region and are also too large to be taken by the native animals. The toxin does not bioaccumulate and sub-lethal doses are excreted within 24 hours. The risk of off-target impacts is thereby minimised.