More dingo data needed: Brooks | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast
More dingo data needed: Brooks
Sue Brooks is calling for more research into Fraser Island dingoes.
The Fraser Coast councillor said her personal opinion was more evidence was needed to prove there was a direct link between feeding dingoes and aggressive behaviour.
There was so much anecdotal evidence that dingoes were being fed by humans, she said, but Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service had not substantiated the claim.
Ms Brooks did not agree with suggestions by Coast residents and Hervey Bay MP Ted Sorensen that dingo feeding stations were the answer.
“It's too far down a pathway that would interfere with dingoes.”
She thought dingoes should be left alone, not just by island residents and visitors but by rangers as well.
“I worry that if we treated a domestic dog in the same manner (as dingoes) what effect that would have on its behaviour,” she said about hazing and tagging.
“One of the things that concerns me is the on-the-ground activities of rangers on the island.
“It needs to be ensured (QPWS) managers are aware of the interaction rangers have with the dogs and residents.
“There's so much angst.
Ms Brooks has questioned whether there would be any “real” benefits gained from the dingo management strategy audit being conducted by Laurie Corbett.
“I'd like to see some proper scientific research undertaken.
“I'm not aware of any current scientific research being done on the dogs.
“Are local QPWS managers aware of who's doing what research on Fraser Island?” she asked.
Ms Brooks would like Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones and QPWS assistant director-general Andrea Leverington to visit the Fraser Coast to speak to council staff and island residents and visitors.
• Laurie Corbett is currently auditing the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy ordered by the Department of Environment and Resource Management
• The audit began on March 24 and Dr Corbett is in the process of finalising it
• DERM will release the results of the audit when it is completed
• Since March 24 seven dingoes have been destroyed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers
• The last dingo destroyed was an adolescent male on Tuesday, June 9. It had reportedly torn the clothes of a male tourist and circled a mother and her toddler at Central Station the day before
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Posted by lukengen from Hervey Bay Dc, Queensland
08 July 2009 10:09 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
For crying out loud, more research, why? I have only lived in Hervey Bay since Aug last year, and since the day I arrived until now the debate over Dingoes has gone back and forth. Oh the management plan is flawed, oh the rangers are to blame, oh the tourist are to blame, oh we should shoot all the Dingoes, oh we should shoot all the tourists......is this ever going to stop. If anyone wants to know how useless politicians are at making something happen then this is the perfect example. More research, you have to be kidding. Guided tours only on the island with no interaction with the Dingoes allowed will solve this problem, or preferably get rid of the humans, that will solve all problems for the Dingoes and the Island.
Posted by dingosimon from Boonenne, Queensland
08 July 2009 12:12 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Thankyou Sue Brooks for bringing this to attention.
There has to be more research but done by people with dingo experience. The QPWS Rangers have failed in their role as Custodians of the protected dingo on Fraser Island. It seems they are intent on killing any dingo that shows playful activity ( which they describe as aggressive ) It only proves to me the Rangers have no idea on dingo behaviour for young juveniles. Of course the dingoes are curious when they see the tourists driving in their homeland as they travel their range looking for food.
The dingoes have been fed by residents, campers and even rangers many years ago and there was no aggressive behaviour then. Dingoes were having their pups under some resident 's homes and their survival was assured. Now they seemed doomed to extinction by these aggressive uneducated rangers.
The culling , ear tagging and hazing has to STOP IMMEDIATELY.
Posted by Peter_Dingo from Wendouree, Victoria
08 July 2009 4:42 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
I agree more data is needed and while this data is being collected a moratorium on killing dingoes on Fraser Island should be strictly enforced.
There is no data on any trophic cascade effect if the dingoes are shot to extinction on Fraser Island. What other species will be lost? It may end up just an island of sand and tourist standing in disgust.
I am saddened when I read of the management strategy audit; this could not be independent because the auditor has spent a large part of his life trying to find better ways of exterminating the dingo, easy proven if you do a scientific journal search.
So my tip is if you want to see a Fraser island dingo, do it now, if you leave it to long you will miss out.
Keep up the pressure Sue because the dingo can not vote and therefore has no say in Queensland. Well Done.
DW
Posted by mytruth from Urangan, Queensland
08 July 2009 9:33 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
A little reading....research that has been conducted
I've linked Dafna Angel's Masters thesis for you. It's freely available at the USC Website http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/acce...
Dafna's study (on dingo diet and prey availability) was fantastic in my opinion, and reasonably representative given all the usual constraints that researchers face. She employed a suite of techniques and covered most of the major habitat types found on the Island. I think it would take an enormous effort to improve upon her work, but it would certainly be good to see some ongoing research in this area, in fact it is essential for constant monitoring with withdrawal of the human food component. There is always a BIG PICTURE to consider
Dafna Camila Angel-E. Biologist (Hons. Universidad Nacional de Colombia)
This thesis is submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master on Science by Research Faculty of Science UNIVERSITY OF THE SUNSHINE COAST Maroochydore DC Qld 4558 Australia Submitted in March, 2006
Balance and Respect = Scientists, Conservationists, QPWS, Residents and Visitors to wilderness/isolated zones commanding the highest level of Personal Responsibility and Accountability
Also a must read, follow links below
Fraser Island Dingo Management Under Scrutiny
By Jennifer Parkhurst http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enew...
Tagging, Fire and Electrified Grids – Just Another Day in the Life of the Fraser Island Dingo
By Jennifer Parkhurst http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enew...
The Plight of the Fraser Island Dingo: The Killing Has to Stop
Dingo CARE Network, Fraser Island http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enew...
Australia’s Shameful Record of Mammal Extinction
by Jennifer Parkhurst in conjunction with Dingo CARE Network (DCN) & National Dingo Preservation and Recovery Program (NDPRP) http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enew...
Concerns That As Few As 50 Wild Dingoes Left On Fraser Island
National Dingo Recovery and Preservation Program (NDPRP) http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enew...
Kindest Regards
Posted by sculpting from Chirnside Park, Victoria
28 February 2010 8:42 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
I cannot believe that Jennifer Parkhurst's research and evidence has been confiscated in such a way, and that the websites that I have tried to access have been removed. I thought Australia was a democratic country and people are entitled to hold opinions....these particular opinions had the necessary backing of years of study and were no doubt out of her own pocket. Surely Ms Parkhurst should be owed some explanation for what has happened to her.
I have never been to Fraser Is., and have NO intention of ever going near it if this is the sort of treatment that is meted out to someone who is trying to save one of our endangered species