Legislative issues relating to control of dingoes and other wild dogs in New South Wales.: I. Approaches to future management

The distribution of the numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) has been dramatically reduced since European settlement, with remnant populations now occurring naturally only in the south west of Western Australia. In recent years a number of reintroductions have led to the reestablishment of this species in parts of its former range. In this study we investigated the density and habitat use of the numbat within a 4,000 ha feral - free site on Scotia Sanctuary in western New South Wales. Numbats had been reintroduced to this site in 1999 and 2000. During transect sampling 500 km were driven and 10 numbats were observed. An additional 14 sightings were made incidentally during the survey period. We estimated the density of numbats at Scotia to be 1.24 individuals/100 ha (SE = 0.56). Numbats were located randomly throughout the four major vegetation communities within the reintroduction site. At a finer scale, numbats selected for areas with less spinifex and less bare ground, although visibility using this sampling technique in areas with less spinifex cover may be increased. This study provides information on the habitats used and selected for by numbats at a local scale, and suggests that the species is capable of re-inhabiting areas within its former range where essential resources such as food and shelter are still available at adequate levels, and introduced predators are absent. This, in turn, has implications for future management decisions about how and where to reintroduce this species to other parts of its former range.

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Predation of livestock by wild dogs in eastern New South Wales.

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj9890061 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 61 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

PJS Fleming ◽

TJ Korn

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Coastal Region ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

East Region ◽

South Wales ◽

Control Programmes ◽

June July ◽

Wild Dogs

A monthly survey involving officers from eastern New South Wales Pastures Protection Boards was conducted over four years from 1982 to 1985. Information was collected on the number and type of livestock attacked within each board district, sightings of wild dogs, the number of wild dogs kiied, the method by which they were kiied and the locations at which the observations occurred. A total of 25,644 livestock animals were reported killed or wounded from four regions; the North-East Coastal Region, the North-East Tablelands Region, the Central-East Region and South-East Region. Sheep were the most commonly attacked domestic animals followed by cattle and goats. Regional differences were apparent in the type of livestock killed and seasonal patterns of predation were evident. We recommend that annual control programmes be brought forward from June/July to late April in order to precede predation peaks.

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Zoonotic and economically significant pathogens of peri-urban wild dogs across north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, Australia

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr18110 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 212 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lana Harriott ◽

Matthew Gentle ◽

Rebecca Traub ◽

Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães ◽

Rowland Cobbold

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

Bacterial Pathogens ◽

New South Wales ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Zoonotic Pathogens ◽

South Eastern ◽

South Wales ◽

Intestinal Pathogens ◽

Wild Dog ◽

Wild Dogs

Context Peri-urban wild dogs are known to reside within high-risk and densely populated regions and are capable of harbouring a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Despite recognising the potential of peri-urban wild dogs to carry zoonotic pathogens, limited prevalence data are currently available to assist in understanding the potential risks that peri-urban wild dogs pose within developed communities. Aims The aim of the present research was to establish the current status of key zoonotic and economically significant pathogens in peri-urban wild dogs. Methods Two hundred and one peri-urban wild dog cadavers were collected from south-eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. In addition, whole blood, serum and faecal samples were also collected. Pathogens were identified through several morphological, microbiological and molecular methods. Key results Helminth parasites were detected within 79.6% of peri-urban wild dogs; Echinococcus granulosus was the most common pathogen, with adult worms being detected within 50.7 ± 6.9% of intestines, followed by Spirometra erinacei (36.6 ± 6.4%); hookworms, including Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala (28.8 ± 7.1%); Toxocara canis (5.4 ± 3.1%) and Taenia spp., including T. serialis and T. pisiformis (4.5 ± 2.8%). Bacterial pathogens detected included methicillin-resistant Escherichia coli (20.0 ± 10.1%), Salmonella spp. (3.7 ± 4.0%) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (3.3 ± 2.7%). Conclusions The present study is the most comprehensive investigation of zoonotic pathogen carriage in peri-urban wild dogs in Australia. Parasitic infections in peri-urban wild dogs are common, with tapeworms representing the majority of intestinal pathogens. Important zoonotic bacterial pathogens are carried by peri-urban wild dogs, although at a much lower prevalence than are parasites. Implications The presence of these pathogens in free-ranging peri-urban dog populations suggests a strong potential for public health risk, most notably from E. granulosus. These data are inherently important as baseline information, which is essential to guide risk-based management of peri-urban wild dog impacts.

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Indices for Measuring the Efficacy of Aerial Baiting for Wild Dog Control in North-Eastern New South Wales.

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9960665 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 665 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

PJS Fleming ◽

JA Thompson ◽

HI Nicol

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Canis Familiaris ◽

The Other ◽

Treatment Site ◽

South Wales ◽

North Eastern ◽

Wild Dog ◽

Wild Dogs

The efficacy of aerial baiting with 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) for the control of wild dogs (Canis familiaris familiaris and C. familiaris dingo) in the temperate rangelands of north-eastern New South Wales was studied. In each year from 1991 to 1993, 2 indices of the abundance of dogs, one a raw count of sets of footprints per km of transect (SF) and the other an ln-transformed frequency corrected for sightability of signs (CI), were used to quantify the changes in abundance caused by aerial baiting. Abundance of dogs at a nil-treatment site was estimated concurrently. The SF index found the 1991 baiting to be efficacious. Both measures of abundance showed baiting to be efficacious in 1992 and 1993. Reductions of 66.3-84.5% in the abundance of dogs at the treatment site were found for the CI measure. The SF measure displayed abundance changes of 76.1-91.1%. The indices of abundance measured prior to the annual baiting in 1992 and 1993 were similar, indicating that populations returned to their initial abundance within 1 year.

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The Cost of Aerial Baiting for Wild Dog Management in North-Eastern New South Wales.

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj9910047 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 47 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

JA Thompson ◽

PJS Fleming

Keyword(s):

Average Cost ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Regional Control ◽

South Wales ◽

North Eastern ◽

Wild Dog ◽

The Cost ◽

Wild Dogs

Aerial baitjng for the management of wild dogs in north-eastern New South Wales is carried out in nine Rural Lands Protection Board districts covering coastal and tablelands environments. A survey of participants in the 1988 aerial baiting programme costed the total operation at $106,152. Labour ($36,418) and helicopter hiring charges ($35,693) accounted for over 70 per cent of the costs borne by local and regional control authorities. A total of 24,285 kg of meat (approx. 105,500 baits) valued at $21,018 was used. The average cost of the programme was $4.21 per kg of bait used. Total baiting costs can be accurately predicted from bait quantity. The cost, to individual producers, of aerial baiting for wild dogs, when compared with expected livestock losses without this form of management, suggests that aerial baiting is cost-beneficial.

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The Effect of Rainfall and Blowfly Larvae on the Toxicity of '1080'-Treated Meat Baits Used in Poisoning Campaigns Against Wild Dogs.

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9880473 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 473 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

JC Mcilroy ◽

EJ Gifford ◽

SM Carpenter

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Department Of Agriculture ◽

South Wales ◽

The Moment ◽

Micro Organisms ◽

Wild Dogs ◽

Subsequent Disappearance

Meat baits injected with '1080' poison (sodium monofluoroacetate) according to the method recommended by the Department of Agriculture, New South Wales, Australia, for preparing baits for poisoning compaigns against wild dogs (Canis f. familiaris) and dingoes (C. f. dingo), began to lose their toxicity from the moment of preparation onwards, particularly after different rainfall treatments and when inhabited by calliphorid larvae. The main or most likely reasons for the loss of fluoroacetate were consumption by maggots (mainly larvae of Calliphora augur and C. stygia plus some C. hilli and C. tibialis) and their subsequent disappearance from the baits, leaching by rainfall, defluorination of the fluoroacetate by micro-organisms, and leakage from the baits after injection and during their decomposition. During this study the baits remained toxic to dogs, despite different rainfall treatments, for over 32 days during winter when maggots were absent, and for 6-31 days during summer, when they were present. Under the same conditions the baits contained an LD50 for an average-sized tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) for 4-15 days and 2-4 days, respectively.

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Why are red foxes absent from some eucalypt forests in eastern New South Wales?

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9950535 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 535 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

PC Catling ◽

RJ Burt

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Northern Region ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Red Foxes ◽

South Wales ◽

Mammalian Predators ◽

Eucalypt Forests ◽

Wild Dogs ◽

Severe Disturbance

The distribution and abundance of red foxes, other mammalian predators and their ground-dwelling mammalian prey were examined in 29 areas of two major regions of eucalypt forests in eastern New South Wales. In the southern region, red foxes and cats were abundant. Dingoes (andor wild dogs) were in low abundance or absent, spotted-tailed quolls were rare and medium-sized mammals (0.2-6 kg) scarce. In the northern region, red foxes were in low abundance and absent from some areas, such as parts of Chilelundi State Forest, where dingoes, cats, spotted-tailed quolls and medium-sized mammals were abundant. In both regions, small mammals (<200g) were widespread, but they varied greatly in abundance, and large mammals (>6kg) were widespread and generally abundant. Reasons for the absence or low abundance of red foxes in some areas were examined. Factors assessed were as follows: (i) relative abundance of other predators; (ii) abundance of mammalian prey; (iii) absence of European rabbits; (iv) habitat and its structure; (v) proximity to freehold land; and (vi) presence of roads. Distance from freehold land most adequately explained the absence of red foxes from some forests. Red foxes were present in all forests less than 2 km from freehold land and were in highest abundance in forests close (<1km) to freehold land. Severe disturbance such as clearing for grazing or agriculture appears to play some part in the distribution and abundance of the red fox and the demise of the medium-sized grounddwelling mammals.

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Harvesting Kangaroos in New South Wales

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9770207 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 207 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

RG Sinclair

Keyword(s):

National Parks ◽

Management System ◽

Standing Crop ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Red Kangaroo ◽

South Wales ◽

Grey Kangaroo ◽

Future Management

In New South Wales the red kangaroo, Megaleia rufa (Desmarest), and the two species of grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus Shaw and M. fuliginosus (Desmarest), are harvested commercially. In 1975 the National Parks and Wildlife Service issued permits for 239,764 kangaroos to be shot, but only 48,200 red and 70,200 grey kangaroos were taken. Over western New South Wales the numbers shot represented only 2.3% of the reds and 3.8% of the greys. Most of the harvesting was in areas where kangaroos were abundant. Where densities were low few animals were shot but they accounted for a high proportion of the standing crop-in some areas over 15%. Possible reasons for this under the present management system are discussed, together with the implications for future management.

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