Feral animals are a growing problem in many parts of rural Australia and it seems there are no shortage of interesting ideas to tackle the problem.
The latest radical proposed ‘solution’ comes from Deakin University ecologist, Euan Ritchie, who wants to see dingoes and Tasmanian devils reintroduced across Australia to kill feral animals. Dr Ritchie said predators could control ferals, such as cats and foxes, as well as over-abundant kangaroos.
He told the Weekly Times newspaper that this would allow native animals to flourish and correct unbalanced ecosystems. Not surprisingly, however, farmers are less than impressed and reckon that dingoes would prey on sheep, inter-breed with wild dogs and get out of control.
Dr Ritchie says that while graziers may be concerned, guardian animals such as alpacas could keep predators away from livestock.
“We need a policy to bring dingoes back into the cattle country in northern and central Australia so dingoes can control cats and foxes,” he said. “Many of the graziers I speak to in those areas feel dingoes have an impact on these pests.”
In Victoria, Dr Ritchie said dingoes could flourish in the Mallee and high country while Tasmanian devils could be reintroduced into southern areas. National Farmers’ Federation president Jock Laurie dismissed the plan as unrealistic.
“This is one of these issues where the scientist must not have had anything to do with livestock that has been mauled by dingoes and he hasn’t seen the devastation that causes,” Mr Laurie told the Weekly Times. “Introducing more first-order predators into the ecosystem would not be a good idea because what would then control the predator which would undoubtedly target livestock.”
