Pure bred dingoes have a vital role in eradicating feral pests and protecting native wildlife on the brink of extinction, the threatened species commissioner said during a visit to Toolern Vale last week.
Gregory Andrews was meeting Lyn Watson, founder of the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre in Toolern Vale, to discuss how dingoes could be used in healthy Australian ecosystems.
Mr Andrews has ambitious targets of culling two million feral cats by 2020, establishing five feral-free islands and 10 large feral predator-proofed areas.
Dingoes form a big part of that plan – dingoes have been known to urinate on bilby burrows, which keeps away pests, such as cats and foxes.
Mr Andrews said the dingo is unlikely to turn into a pest, like cane toads, wasps and rabbits, but their introduction needs to be managed so farmers aren’t adversely impacted.
Ms Watson said she was overwhelmed by the commissioner’s visit, which marks a first significant step in having the potential of dingoes recognised by authorities.
“Dingoes mark their territories and, in their territories, if there are threatened species, mesopredators, such as cats and foxes, will keep away,” she said.
“They only have to smell a dingo’s dung or urine and they’ll run away, because a dingo won’t tolerate foxes or cats in its territory.”
