Lethal control reduces the relative abundance of dingoes but not cattle production impacts
Glenn P. Edwards
A B F , Stephen R. Eldridge B C , Bernie J. Shakeshaft B D and Teresa Nano B E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, PO Box 2252, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia.
B Formerly Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory, PO Box 1120, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia.
C Desert Wildlife Services, PO Box 4002, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia.
D PO Box 4058, Armidale, NSW 2320, Australia.
E PO Box 63, Campbell’s Creek, Vic. 3451, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: glenn.edwards@nt.gov.au
Wildlife Research - https://doi.org/10.1071/WR20076
Submitted: 5 May 2020 Accepted: 13 February 2021 Published online: 10 June 2021
Abstract
Context: Lethal control through the application of 1080 baits is widely used in Australia to manage the negative impacts of wild dogs (dingoes, wild domestic dogs and their hybrids) on cattle production, but its effectiveness in this regard is not well understood.
Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of once yearly 1080 baiting on dingoes and its effects in mitigating predation and sublethal impacts on beef cattle.
Methods: A replicated experiment with two paired treatments (1080 poisoned and non-poisoned) was conducted on each of four cattle stations of 3782–10 850 km2, over 2.5 years (2000–02) in the southern Northern Territory. The study was undertaken in relatively good rainfall years.
Key results: Track-based surveys indicated that dingo abundance declined on poisoned relative to non-poisoned areas immediately following a single baiting episode. However, there was no detectable difference about 8 months after baiting. No difference was detected in observed levels of calf damage or calf loss between poisoned and non-poisoned areas.
Conclusions: The results add to the growing body of consistent evidence that contemporary dingo control practices yield little benefit to rangeland beef producers most of the time.
Implications: Routine dingo baiting (as currently undertaken) may be largely unnecessary for beef cattle producers in arid and semiarid areas. Alternative strategies and practices to reduce dingo mauling and predation impacts should be investigated using replicated and controlled field studies.
Keywords: calf wastage, dingo control, Northern Territory, predation impacts, poison baiting.
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