A three-pronged revamp of wild dog management in Queensland has put strategies for control in the northern part of the state firmly in the spotlight.
Brett Carlsson, a veteran of pest control programs as AgForce’s wild dog coordinator for 13 years, has been appointed the senior wild dog coordinator for north and north western Queensland under a new project co-funded by Meat & Livestock Australia, the state government’s Agriculture Department, AgForce, Australian Wool Innovation, and regional local government bodies, RAPAD and South West RED.
Brett will continue to be based in Cairns and as well as helping producers from the coast across to the Northern Territory border reduce the impact of wild dogs, he will oversee the activities of two additional wild dog coordinators in central and south west parts of the state.
They were recently announced as Skyela Kruger, based at St George, and Rohan Dent, who is based at Blackall.
Skyela and Rohan both plan to hit the roads in coming weeks to meet land managers and other stakeholders in their respective regions, as well as local wild dog committees, councils, and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity Queensland staff.
According to MLA’s general manager for producer consultation and adoption, Michael Crowley, the impact of wild dogs in the state is around $100 million, and a growth in numbers was increasingly affecting cattle producers in the north.
“Producers in the northern region may not be aware of recent developments in best practice pest control and planning,” he said.
“These newly funded positions aim to engage producers in best practice control strategies, train them in the use of the most up-to-date tools, encourage adoption of the latest technologies and facilitate the coordination of control programs.
“Data collected through the program will also be valuable in evaluating the extent of the wild dog problem in Queensland.”
Brett said the new structure would provide support to landholders to undertake a coordinated approach.
“A lot of wild dog control is happening in the cattle industry but it could be better coordinated to ensure producers are working in groups, sharing the load and having a greater impact on wild dog populations,” he said.
“Sheep are more susceptible to wild dog attacks and so support has traditionally been focused on sheep production areas. However, wild dogs impact the cattle industry in a number of ways.
“Calves are obviously at risk from dog attacks, but reducing dog numbers will result in less cattle with bite marks and other injuries, and less stress to livestock, particularly calving heifers.
“Beyond the physical impacts, wild dogs have been implicated in the spread of parasitic diseases, such as Hydatid disease and Neosporosis.
“If we can reduce dog numbers, and I know we can, then we can reduce the impacts and producers should start to see a change with potentially more calves on the ground and improved animal welfare.”
Brett recently attended a Gulf Catchments Pest Task Force meeting in Mt Isa to establish relationships with the local government, Biosecurity Qld, NRM and indigenous ranger groups of the Gulf.
He said it had been a successful two days, opening up avenues to start his coordination role in the Gulf.
“The level of interest in my role was high and many are happy that my assistance is now available,” he said.
Collaborative funding effort
National wild dog management coordinator, Greg Mifsud, whose role sits within the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, said the collaborative funding effort by industry and government would lead to an improved capacity of landholders to implement best practice, integrated control strategies.
“Upskilling and supporting producers and their communities to responsibly and humanely manage vertebrate pests will return multiple social, economic and environmental benefits,” Greg said.
“Across northern Australia, sheep numbers have fallen significantly in recent years while reports of wild dog predation on cattle have increased.
“By working together and using the right control tools for the situation effectively, producers and other stakeholders can achieve a sustainable future for the red meat industry that supports biodiversity and the environment.”
MLA is a co-funder of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, following significant investment over the past 12 years in the previous Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.
The project aligns with coordinated campaigns underpinned by the National Wild Dog Action Plan and the Australian Pest Animal Strategy.