One-two blow to wild dog populations in autumn baiting program

The State Government has launched its autumn offensive against wild dogs with aerial and ground baiting programs across NSW.

Wild dog activity peaks during the autumn breeding season and baiting can reduce populations and minimise attacks on livestock, native wildlife and pets.

Wild dogs are found across the state and landholders have a responsibility to work together to manage them under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015.

Since July 2023 the State Government has distributed more than 1.5million baits for wild dog control programs through bait collection points across NSW.

Nearly half of the bait total has been distributed through aerial baiting programs, where 1080 chemical baits have been dropped by aircraft along a planned 40,000 kms of strategic lines.

Wild dogs increasingly scavenge for food during autumn, while follow-up control in spring after pups are born delivers a targeted one-two blow to wild dog populations.

Local Land Services coordinates wild dog control programs supplying subsidised 1080 baits to certified landholders.

Read more about wild dogs here.

LLS considers aerial baiting an effective tool for managing wild dogs, particularly in difficult or hard-to-reach terrain. It can also help manage fox populations during autumn when cubs feed more opportunistically.

Here are some bullet points about the program:

All baits distributed are prepared in accordance with strict regulations to ensure safe and effective use.
All landholders in NSW must hold a Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training qualification or AQF3 Chemical Accreditation to participate in baiting programs.
The LLS VPIT course is online and face-to-face for free, certification is valid for five years.
Local Land Services supports landholders by loaning traps, plus delivers training and workshops to increase awareness of the behaviours and impacts of wild dogs.

Landholders can contact their nearest LLS office to speak with a biosecurity officer about control options best suited to their property and to find out more about upcoming baiting programs.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said when farmers and neighbouring landholders participate in coordinated control programs with LLS support, the effort to control these pests is magnified across a landscape-scale impact that is far more effective than any landholder acting alone.

“Every wild dog we remove from the landscape can mean fewer lambs lost, less stress on cattle and real savings for producers,” Ms Moriarty said.

DID YOU KNOW?

In NSW the term ‘wild dog’ refers to all wild-living dogs (Canis familiaris) and includes dingoes, feral domestic dogs and the hybrid descendants of these.
Wild dogs are predominately golden or yellow but can also be white, black, black and tan, brown, brindle, patchy and any combination of these.
Weights of adult wild dogs generally range from 11 to 25kg for males and 7 to 22kg for females.