How is a feral cat different to a stray cat?

A feral cat is the same species as domestic cats, however, they don’t rely on humans. Instead, they obtain food and shelter from the natural environment. The key difference is that stray cats have previously been a pet or have before relied on humans for their survival needs. Usually, a stray cat can be rehabilitated into being a pet whereas ferals cannot.

Their Profile

A feral cat lives, hunts and reproduces in the wild. Their acute senses and stalking coordination have allowed feral cats to adapt to Australia’s harsh conditions and take down prey matching their own body size. An average Australian feral cat weights about 3 – 4 kg and is usually 40 to 60cms long. They are usually shorthaired and abundantly have a ginger or tabby coat colour. They are commonly found in forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and arid areas.

Origin in Australia

Although nobody knows for sure, it’s predicted that cats first arrived in Australia as pets of European settlers in the 18^th century. Years following saw cats being deliberately introduced as a way to control rabbits and rodents, this due to the fact they carry many diseases and also prey on rodents. The once pest solution has now become a pest itself.

Their Impact

It is often difficult to accurately estimate the number of feral cats in Australia. As the factors of rainfall, food availability and presence of predators play a key role in their density. On that note, it can be estimated each feral cat kills from 5 to 30 small animals per day. Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world, with 30 species gone since European settlement. Feral cats are a major reason for this. Furthermore, it is estimated that the feral cat population is killing millions of small Australian animals a day.

Recent studies have revealed that the feral cat has threatened the survival of over 100 native species in Australia. They have also caused the extinction of some ground-dwelling birds and endangered iconic Australian animals such as the bilby, bandicoot and the numbat. As previously mentioned feral cats carry various infectious diseases, which not only can be transmitted to animals but also domestic livestock and humans. It’s clear that feral cats have become a major pest in Australia and are specifically endangering so many of our iconic Australia animals.

Control Methods

Although there still remains the question of what is the best method to decrease the feral cat population in Australia or more specifically the devastation they bring to our ecosystem.

Currently shooting and trapping feral cats is commonly used and poison baiting is the most effective method for over larger areas. Fencing is also a solution to exclude cats, which is the only real way to protect our vulnerable mammals. These cat free areas in Australia have already prevented the extinction of at least six mammal species. Sadly, there is currently no magical solution from saving mammals against feral cats. The best control method would be to continue to establish more feral predator-free areas and developing more effective baits. Further research to understand Australia’s feral cat population could hopefully reveal some key insights on what is the best way to go about pest-control.

To learn more about the impacts of feral cats in Australia and the control methods that are currently in place, contact the team at Animal Pest Management Services today!

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In the 1980s and 1990s, an eradication campaign drastically reduced the amount of buffalo in the area, but their numbers have grown again, which is causing significant damage to the native wetlands.

The Introduction of Water Buffalos to Australia

Water buffalo were first brought to Australia in 1825 to 1843. Introduced to Melville Island and the Coburg Peninsula, the 80 buffalo were intended for use as meat and hides for the local settlers.

When the settlements were abandoned, the buffalo remained and quickly started to colonise the permanent and semi permanent swamps, as well as the fresh water springs in the Northern Territory. Australia has two types of introduced buffalo species; the river type from western Asia, with curled horns, and the swamp type from eastern Asia that has swept-back horns.

Prior to the culling’s that took place in the late 20^th century, buffalo numbers in the Northern Territory were as high as 350,000. Now, there are approximately 150,000 buffalo plaguing the area.

Unlike many other feral animal species in Australia, the buffalos are confined to a relatively small area. Weighing anywhere from 450-1200 kilograms and eating 30 kilograms of food per day, it’s not hard to imagine how greatly the species impacts the local ecosystem.

When their population was at its highest, the feral water buffalo grossly altered the character of the northern floodplains. Wallows, trails, dungs, trampling and disturbance were among the biggest contributors to this, as soil erosion, channelling of floodwaters, increased intrusion of saltwater into freshwater habitats, and destruction of wetland vegetation all became commonplace.

Many native wetland flora and fauna failed to thrive in the muddied or salt-polluted water. They also suffered from the disturbance and loss of cover. Crocodiles, barramundi, freshwater turtles and other native species declined, and many waterbirds, including magpie geese, lost their habitat. Feral buffalo also cause issues because of the sheer amount of grass and plant life they eat on a daily basis, which eliminates vital food sources for native species. They often damage the trees they rub against because they’re so heavy and their trampling and soil erosion over vast areas leads to the spread of weeds. Feral buffalo also pose a threat to cattle, as they carry diseases like tuberculosis and brucellosis.

Population Control Methods

The biggest attempt to reduce the impact of feral buffalos on the Australian ecosystem was made back in the late 20^th century, where aerial shooting/culling took place over a 20-year period. The program experienced the most success in Kakadu National Park where numbers were reduced from 20,000 to less than 250. However, the difficult terrain made full eradication impossible.

Local and international demand for meat, especially for pet food, and the demand for their hides and horns, game for hunters and live exports has also seen some 700,000 animals eradicated since their introduction. Farming of re-domesticated herds has also increased, particularly among Indigenous communities.

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Unlike a lot of other feral animal species, goats aren’t constrained to only certain areas – they cover 28 per cent of the country everywhere from western New South Wales to South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. However, they do tend to prefer rocky and hilly semi-arid areas.

But, where did they come from, and why are they a reason for concern?

The Emergence of Feral Goats

Goats first arrived in Australia way back in 1788, introduced into the country by the First Fleet. Because goats are small and hardy, can eat a variety of plant-based foods and could provide both meat and milk to settlers, goats were the preferred livestock of early European settlers. Certain breeds were even imported for their lush hair, and later on, to maintain weeds in plantation forests and pastoral land.

In fact, they were considered so useful that sailors actually released them onto islands and remote areas of the mainland in the 19^th century, so they could be used as emergency food if a situation ever called for it.

However, over time, the combination of wild goats and escaped/released/abandoned domestic goats started to present more problems than they did solutions. Population growth started to get out of control, and they started to create problems for the Australian ecosystem.

The Impact of Feral Goats in Australia

One of the biggest impacts goats have on our natural ecosystem is overgrazing. As their numbers continue to grow, the toll they have on native vegetation such as herbs, grasses and trees starts to lead to erosion, which prevents the vegetation from regrowing in the future.

Funnily enough, even though they were once used to prevent weed growth, the seeds they carry in their dung can actually cause the spread of weeds across large sections of land. They also foul waterholes, and during periods of long droughts, compete with native and domestic animals for things like food, water and shelter. One example of this is the yellow-footed wallaby. These wallabies are often exposed to predation by wedge-tailed eagles and foxes because they have to compete for their preferred rock shelters with wild goats.

Disease is also prevalent in goats, as they carry footrot and can infect sheep through simple contact. It’s also believed that goats carry a number of exotic diseases, such as foot-and-mouth, and can help disseminate diseases over larger areas if there’s ever an outbreak.

Feral Goat Control in Australia

This is where things get tricky, as there’s no black and white when it comes to goats. Despite posing environmental and agricultural threats, they also offer commercial benefits and are used for game by recreational hunters. Control can also be difficult since goats have proven almost impossible to eradicate, especially on the mainland, as they bounce back from culling attempts really well. As such, pest controllers usually target areas with threatened native plants, animals and ecological communities.

However, there are a few different control methods in place to minimise the impact of goats on Australia’s ecosystem.

In areas of arid and semi-arid country, goats can be mustered for slaughter, with female goats often being sold as breeding stock for flocks of mohairs. In areas that are difficult to reach by land, aerial culling has become standard practice. This is usually considered the most humane and efficient method for eliminating small groups of feral goats.

Trapping can also be used when water sources are scarce. When it’s hot and dry, water is harder to find and goats need more of it. This means they’re drawn to water sources and are hesitant to move away from them. In these situations, goat-proof fencing with one-way gates can be installed. The goats can get into the fenced off area to access the water, but they will be unable to leave.

Finally, radio tracking can also be utilised to track wild goat herds. One goat is caught and fitted with a radio collar before being released into the wild again. The signal in their collar will be tracked until the goat finds a herd that can then be culled.

As with all forms of animal pest control, only humane, government-approved methods are utilised. This is a policy that we strongly adhere to here at Animal Pest Management Services. If you have any queries relating to feral goats in Australia, or any other invasive animal species, contact us today!

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The Introduction of Donkeys in Australia

Donkeys first arrived in 1866 and were utilised in parts of Western Australia right up until motor vehicles took over in the 1930s. Rather than finding an alternative use for the donkeys that were used as pack and draught animals, they were released into the wild. Over time, their populations grew and they became feral, their populations spreading across the state and working their way up to parts of the Northern Territory.

The first known records of wild donkeys in the Kimberley were recorded in the 1930s; however, there is speculation that they arrived in the area much earlier. Now, they are most commonly found in pastoral areas of Western Australia, including Murchison, Pilbara and the Kimberley regions, as well as in particularly arid parts of Central Australia, and the Katherine region of the Northern Territory.

Overall, it’s estimated that five million feral donkeys plague our shores. Although, it is worth noting that local eradication programs have been successful in some pastoral leases in the Kimberley.

What do Feral Donkeys Need to Survive?

Donkeys can survive in dry climates and their greatest concentrations can be found in flats of major river and creek systems, as well as on lower slopes and foothills along smaller creeks, granite hills and eucalypt sand plains, to name a few. They subsist on a wide variety of grasses, herbs and bushes, as they’re versatile foragers that can get a lot out of a seemingly sparse area.

However, one of the main reasons donkeys can withstand particularly difficult and dry climates is their ability to go long periods without water. Donkeys can effectively reduce the amount of water they lose through their faeces, and unlike other species, can continue to eat even when they’re severely deprived of water.

Despite their ability to withstand dehydration, they do prefer to drink daily and try to stay close to water sources, with their home ranges spanning from as little as 3km² to 32km².

The Negative Impacts of Donkeys on the Environment

Since feral donkeys eat the same food as domestic stock, they can cause issues for farmers, especially when food is scarce. Overgrazing can also lead to a shift in the composition of desert vegetation, with their trails contributing to soil erosion. They can also foul watering holes, preventing other native species from drinking.

Control Methods

The primary method of control for feral donkeys is aerial culling (shooting them from helicopters). This method can be particularly effective when stray donkeys are fitted with a radio transmitter collar that tracks their location as they meet up with other donkeys. This means animal pest control specialists can eliminate each group of donkeys, leaving the one with the collar free to roam until it finds another herd to join. This makes aerial culling more targeted and effective on a larger-scale.

To learn more about the impact of feral donkeys in Australia, and the control methods that are currently in place to reduce their impact, contact the team at Animal Pest Management Services today!

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How Did Feral Horses Become a Problem?

Like most introduced species, horses first arrived in Australia with the first fleet in 1788. Over the coming decades, new shipments of working farm horses were brought to the colonies on a regular basis. However, a lot of horses escaped, as they never used to be kept in fenced off areas.

The growing population of wild horses later expanded when working horses were replaced with farming equipment.

Where are Feral Horses the Most Problematic?

Feral horses are most commonly found in cattle production areas in the Northern Territory, Queensland and parts of Western Australia and South Australia. However, scattered populations can also be found in parts of Victoria and New South Wales, but usually in sub-alpine and alpine areas.

Horses are known to inhabit a variety of different areas with varying conditions. They can survive in semi-arid plains, rocky ranges, tropical grasslands, wetlands, sub-alpine forests and even small offshore islands.

However, horses do prefer grasslands with plenty of shrubs and water. Their only natural threats are bushfires and droughts.

What Impact do Feral Horses Have on the Environment?

Feral horses are considered major environmental pests, as they cause severe erosion and frequently damage vegetation with their hard hoofs. It’s not uncommon for them to damage or pollute waterholes, and they often introduce and spread weeds that are carried in their dung, manes and tails.

In certain areas, horses overgraze, as they have to travel as much as 50-kilometres to find drinking water. This poses a significant threat to native wildlife that can be forced out of their habitat due to a lack of food. This also has a negative impact on farmland and animals as feral horses will eat pastures, destroy fences and can cause cattle to scatter.

What Control Methods are in Place?

If left unchecked, it’s believed feral horse populations would rise by as much as 20 per cent each year. A number of conventional animal control techniques can be used to control feral horse populations, however, strict animal welfare guidelines do need to be followed.

Mustering is one technique to catch wild horses. While the older horses will be transported to abattoirs, younger ones can be kept for saddle horses or pets. In areas where the terrain isn’t suitable for mustering, aerial culling can be used. This process is quick and eliminates the stresses of mustering. But, to be successful and humane, aerial culling can only be undertaken by properly trained and accredited shooters who follow the proper procedures.

To learn more about feral horses in Australia and the control methods in place to prevent the spread of their populations, call the team at Animal Pest Management Services on (08) 9726 2537 or submit an online enquiry form today!

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One of the main reasons for the increasing number of feral animal species in Australia is the fact that they have very few natural predators and don’t suffer from many fatal diseases. As a result, their population has not naturally diminished and they can multiply rapidly in favourable conditions.

To protect our environment, livestock, native plants and species, feral animal control is essential. But, what methods are in place to control the spread of feral animal species?

Here, we take a look at some of the conventional control methods being utilised across the country.

Conventional Feral Animal Control in Australia

Some common types of animal control methods include fencing, trapping, baiting and shooting.

Fencing

Fencing is one of the oldest forms of wildlife management, with the introduction of netting fences for rabbit and dingo exclusions being used over 100 years ago. In recent times, it has even been introduced as a method for controlling feral foxes and cats.

However, fencing can only be used, as a feral animal control method if the area that needs to be enclosed is relatively small. Unfortunately, these type of fences are more expensive than traditional stock fences and aren’t an economical or particularly viable option when trying to keep wild animals out of large parcels of land.

When fencing is being used for trapping, regular inspections and maintenance are also required.

Trapping

Trapping is another method used for wild animal control and can include cage traps, soft-catch traps and yards that can be created around watering holes that are frequented by feral species. This is a labour intensive control method, as setting the traps is time-consuming, and they need to be checked at least once a day, however, they can wield some good results.

For instance, Animal Pest Management Services have had success protecting marine turtle nests at Pretty Pool Beach at Paradise Beach and Downes Island in the Port Hedland area, and frequently use animal traps for foxes and wild dogs.

Baiting

Baiting is often used as a method of controlling foxes, pigs, and rabbits. This is usually done with poison 1080. This poison is naturally occurring in pea plants in Western Australia, so native herbivores such as kangaroos and ground-dwelling mammals have built up a natural tolerance and immunity to the poison. However, wild animals are susceptible to the poison’s effects.

This means it can be used more rigorously in Western Australia, as the effect on other animal species isn’t an as bigger concern as it is in other parts of the country. Baits used for feral foxes and pigs can be buried, as these species commonly dig for their food and eat the bait. Bait can also be dyed green and black to attract rabbits, while deterring animals like birds, as they often use choose their food based on its colour.

Shooting

Feral horses, pigs, goats, and even camels can be controlled via animal shooting. If control is needed in rugged terrain or vast remote areas, it is sometimes completed using a helicopter. Shooting is considered a humane method of animal control, as it’s quick and the targeted animals are not subjected to the stresses of mustering, yarding, and transportation.

To learn more about animal pest management in Australia, and the pest control services WA that we offer, contact Animal Pest Management Services today!

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Today, the feral pigs occupying Australia by the millions are descendant from various breeds of domestic pigs.

But, what characterises a wild pig, and why is their presence a cause for concern in Australia?

Where do Feral Pigs Live?

Australia’s wild pig population typically reside in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, as well as the Australian Capital Territory. They can also be found in isolation in certain areas of Victoria, throughout the forested areas of the South-west of in Western Australia and the Kimberley, as well as on Flinders Island, in Bass Strait and on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.

The below map indicates the distribution of feral pigs in New South Wales, where their populations are the most abundant.

They usually flock to moist areas where they can find adequate food and water, and enough shelter to protect them against the harsh Australian weather – especially dense shelter for protection against high temperatures.

There are a few different type of habitats in Australia that cater to these requirements, including monsoon forest patches, rainforests, paperbark swamps, and open floodplains, as well as marsh areas, semi-arid floodplains, dry woodlands, subalpine grasslands and forests.

Australian feral pigs aren’t known for travelling, with each pig having a home range of only about ten to approximately 43km2.

Feral Pigs and Their Behaviour

Feral pigs in Australia tend to restrict their activities to cooler parts of the day, as they’re usually nocturnal in hotter temperatures. This is why pigs tend to like rolling in mud, as it helps to regulate their body temperature.

Sows and piglets usually run together in groups, as do some younger males and females. When they’re about 18-months old, males tend to become more independent, only re-joining groups for mating or when feeding on localised food sources. How many pigs form a group will depend on the area, as it’s uncommon to see a group of more than 12 wild pigs in Western Australia, but in other open country areas 40 or 50 pigs can form a mob.

In terms of their diet, feral pigs typically eat vegetation, fruit, grains and creatures like insects, frogs, worms, fish, birds and small mammals. They also eat underground plant material like bulbs and fungi.

Feral Pigs and Disease

Feral pigs can carry and spread a number of diseases, many of which can be harmful to livestock and humans.

Diseases Affecting the Health of Livestock

• Leptospirosis
• Porcine brucellosis
• Melioidosis
• Tuberculosis
• Sparganosis
• Porcine parvovirus
• Murray Valley encephalitis and other arboviruses.

Diseases Affecting Human Health

• Leptospirosis, through contact with the urine of affected feral pigs
• Porcine brucellosis, through handling raw feral pig meat
• Tuberculosis and sparganosis, through eating inadequately cooked feral pig meat.

The Agricultural and Environmental Impact

Feral pigs negatively affect agriculture in Australia, as they prey on newborn lambs, and reduce the yields of grain, sugarcane, fruit and vegetable crops by consuming or trampling on them. Wild pigs also damage fencing and foul water sources through wallowing and defecation.

They also have a significant environmental impact on the areas they frequent. This is because they uproot soil, grasslands and forest litter and consume a large variety of native plants.

Feral pigs are considered a threat in Australia due to their predation, habitat, degradation, competition and disease transmission.

Feral Pig Control

Feral pigs can be managed and controlled in a number of ways, including:

Fencing

Fences can be built to protect valuable areas. Effective pig-proof fencing can be built, however, the fencing does require constant maintenance.

Ground Baiting

1080 poisoning can provide effective initial control of pig numbers when it is undertaken in a methodical manner. This method is particularly effective when other food sources are scarce, as it’s often mixed with grain or manufactured pallets.

There are also manufactured bait products available for purchase. However, only authorised persons can distribute feral pig poisons, and care has to be taken to ensure it is done properly.

Aerial Baiting

There are regulations in place around aerial bating, however, it can be an effective means of control in areas where land control is impractical or if the impact of feral pigs within an area is significant.

Shooting

Helicopter shooting is an expensive method of control but is a good option for when an area is inaccessible from the ground.

Ground shooting can be effective but should not be undertaken when trapping and baiting programs are being conducted. It is generally better to undertake shooting when only small mobs are present, or after trapping or baiting.

Trapping

Trapping can be useful as a follow-up to an initial round of animal control and is effective when trying to maintain lower levels of the feral pig population within an area. Trapping can remove large numbers of pigs if conducted properly.

A single trap can remove a substantial number of feral pigs.

To learn more about feral pigs and animal pest control in Australia, contact the team at Animal Pest Management Services today!

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To put this into perspective, one feral cat can kill anywhere between three to 20 animals per week, with their prey ranging in size from crickets and lizards to small mammals. Each year, that equates to close to 1,000 animals being killed by just one cat, making wild cats more dangerous to our native species than any other predator.

But where did they come from and why are they such a big threat to our natural ecosystem?

Where did Wild Cats Originate?

Wild cats first arrived in Australia on the first European settlers’ ships and quickly spread across the continent. The number of wild cats across the country also increased tenfold when they were released into the wild during the nineteenth century in an attempt to control the increasing number of mice and rabbits.

It has been rumoured that cats arrived in Australia long before the First Fleet; however, recent studies have found that to be untrue.

What’s the Difference Between a Feral Cat and a Domestic Cat?

Feral cats and domestic cats are all part of the same species, however, unlike their domestic counterparts, feral cats have been born and have lived their entire lives in the wild. However, feral cats also differ from stray cats in the sense that stray cats are domestic cats that have either been abandoned or have gotten lost.

Because they have to survive in the wild, feral cats are generally more vicious than any domestic cat. This is because they have to hunt and kill their prey to survive, and because they don’t have any kind of innate relationship with humans, so they will often view humans as a threat. This is why if you see one they might hiss at you, swipe their paws and hunch their backs or run away.

Do Feral Cats Really Pose a Threat?

Yes, feral cats pose a huge threat to native Australian wildlife. It’s believed that feral cats are responsible for the extinction of 20 native wildlife species and threaten the survival of more than 100 other native species in Australia.

Wild cats are a major cause of the significant population decline among a number of land-based endangered animals, including the bilby, bandicoot, bettong and numbat.

Feral cats are also known for carrying a number of infectious diseases that can be transmitted to native animals, domestic livestock and humans. There’s also no reprieve from them, as they can be found all over Australia in all kinds of habitats, including forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and arid areas.

As carnivores, they usually eat small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects, depending on what is available.

In 2015, a Threat Abatement Plan was put together as a national framework to help guide and coordinate Australia’s response to the impacts of feral cats on biodiversity. It was also around this time that Australian environmental ministers endorsed the National Declaration of Feral Cats as Pests.

Feral Cat Control in Australia

Control of feral cats is a difficult task. This is because they are notoriously hard to find as they are generally found in low densities over large areas, they’re shy, making them difficult to pin down and they don’t travel over the same route like foxes and wild dogs do.

Any poison baits need to be laid on the ground and not buried, like they would be for other feral species, like foxes. Poison baits specifically for feral cats are not available for general use and their effectiveness is highly variable. Other feral cat control methods include shooting and trapping.

To learn more about the measures being taken to control the spread of feral cats in Australia, contact the team at Animal Pest Management Services today!

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This might come as a surprise to a lot of Australians, especially those living in urban areas, but in regions made up of desert-like terrains, such as the Great Victoria and Simpson deserts, there are an estimated 1.2 million wild camels roaming around.

But, where did they come from and why do they pose a threat to Australia’s ecosystem?

The Introduction of Camels to Australia

Camels were first brought to Australia way back in the 1840s to assist with the exploration of inland Australia. From 1840 through to 1907, it’s estimated that 10-20,000 camels were imported to Australia from India, with more than half of them landing in South Australia.

In these early days, some Australians started breeding their own camels, with the first of many stud farms being established in 1866 in South Australia.

The Lifestyle Habits of Camels

Camels are not known for staying in one place, as they can forage up to 70km worth of terrain each day. They also have bachelor groups, which many males will join when they’re roughly two-years-old. Otherwise, camels spend their time in family groups, which consist of roughly 30 adult females and their younger offspring. In Australia, sightings of up to 500 wild camels travelling in groups have been made.

The camel breeds that are found in central, desert regions within Australia are selective feeders and show a preference for shrubs and trees, rather than grasses. They don’t need to drink every day, however, during the warmer months; they will drink every day if water is available.

While camels don’t reproduce often, with females only giving birth to one young every second year, they do have long lives of up to 50 years. They also don’t have any native predators and will usually see their lifespan through, unless human intervention is made.

The Impact of Camels on the Australian Environment

Camels are large herbivores, so they play a big role in the grazing impact on Australian land. They tend to cause the most damage during, and just after periods of drought. They have also been known to destroy fences and can be carriers of exotic diseases that pose a threat to livestock.

Indigenous communities are also known to have a disdain for wild camels, as they can foul water holes and damage ceremonial art and sites of cultural importance to Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

Camel Animal Control Australia

Camel culling and camel shooting in Australia is used to try and keep wild camel numbers under control. Camel trapping at water points is also common. In Australia, there’s a growing demand in the camel industry, with camels being killed for their meat, some being taken for live export and others being used in the tourist industry, especially in outback Australia.

Fences that prevent camels from approaching watering holes (without limiting access to native species) are also being constructed.

To learn more about animal pest control across Australia, and measures being taken to reduce the number of wild camels, contact Animal Pest Management Services today!

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Just outside the East Gippsland town of Omeo in north-eastern Victoria, beside the road to Benambra, sits a prominent gum tree that’s heavy under the weight of approximately 30 decaying dog carcasses.

This is just one of many trees like this in Australia, where sun-bleached skeletons and bared teeth are left spinning in the breeze as a warning to other predators who dare cross the threshold onto fed-up farmers’ properties.

Some of the dog carcasses resemble the archetypal dingo, with lean golden bodies and broad heads. Others aren’t as easy to define and almost look more like domestic pets than a wild, sheep-killing beast.

To Australian sheep and cattle producers, there is no distinction. If a farmer thinks a dog poses a threat to their stock it’s shot on sight and defensive poisoning is usually rolled out in spring and autumn.

However, despite persistent wild animal control, farmers are still experiencing stock losses in record-breaking numbers. Just south of Omeo, the owners of Bindi Station were losing 1500 sheep a year and lambing in some mobs had dropped as low as 10 per cent before they installed electric fencing. The owner of this property, Fraser Barry, has been operating at a loss for fifteen years, and every waking hour is dedicated to animal shooting and setting animal traps in a bid to get the number of wild dog attacks under control. After suffering from a lack of sleep and emotional and physical exhaustion, he was actually told he was suffering from a form of post traumatic stress, but he’s one of the lucky ones. In this remote Victorian locale, around 25-30 families have been forced out of the community because dingoes and other breeds of wild dogs had destroyed their wool shearing businesses.

But why has the wild dog problem in Australia gotten as bad as it is?

Wild Dog Legislation in Australia

In Australia, legislation deems that the dingo is a pest in every mainland state and territory except the Northern Territory. Believed to be descendant from domesticated dogs in Asia, dingoes aren’t even protected in most National Parks. However, despite the need for wild animal control, baiting is restricted to ensure the dingo can survive as an Australian ‘wildlife species’.

The only exception to this is in Victoria where dingoes are considered a threatened species and are protected in national parks under the Wildlife Act 1975. But, they are fair game on private properties or within a 3km buffer of public land boundaries to safeguard livestock.

In New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, landowners also have free reign and are actively encouraged to cull dingoes to protect their livestock.

There are huge tracts of land in Australia where dingoes roam free without any form of control on them. Virtually anywhere in the Outback that is not used for pastoral farming has dingoes that are generally undisturbed.

According to Greg Mifsud from the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, any dog has the potential to kill livestock. With the sole aim of controlling wild-living dogs, including dingoes, wild dogs, and their hybrids, they support aerial and ground baiting, trapping, fencing, and shooting, where necessary. Of course, wild dog control often means reducing their numbers enough to avoid predation and losses on cattle, but in sheep growing areas, one wild can cause so many losses that the battle intensity increases significantly.

“The annual cost to the Australian economy in sheep and cattle losses from wild dogs and control efforts is in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” says Greg.

“It’s an emotionally charged issue, with strong ­economic impacts. It’s about individual landholders assessing the risk that dogs pose to them, and being cognisant of the risks to their neighbours. We are not about obliterating dingoes; we recognise their place in national parks. We want to provide ­long-term opportunities for production and dingo conservation.”

Adapting to Survive

One of the main reasons dingoes pose such a big threat to Australian farmers is their ability to adapt. Since they were introduced to Australia, they have learned how to survive in the harsh Australian landscape.

Dr. Guy Ballard from the Vertebrate Pest Research Unit says, “they are incredibly successful animals, which can live at high-altitudes on high and bony ridges, in rainforests and in the harshest deserts.”

Able to walk 10km in 50-degree heat just to get a few drops of water from a tap, they can travel 100km and back in the span of a week. You can see them roaming towns, living around airports and caravan parks, and they love a good rubbish pit.

Despite 200 years of dingo control, it seems the number of wild dogs populating Australia is only growing.

Debate is raging on about how to control this issue, with a number of Indigenous and animal protection groups’ advocating for the protection of these animals, while farmers are screaming for further action.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a quick fix for this. However, if you are experiencing extreme wild dog issues in either a residential or commercial setting, talk to us about what we can do to help!

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