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Call to bait wild dogs
31 Mar 2003
The New South Wales Farmers' Association says packs of feral "superdogs" are killing livestock in southern NSW, having been forced out of their lairs in Kosciuszko National park after the bushfires. The Association is calling on the NSW Government to carry out aerial baiting to control the dogs, but says the National Parks & Wildlife service has refused to do so as it would threaten the rare tiger quoll.
The Association's Cooma representative said the dogs have killed almost 11,000 sheep in a year, as they've moved down the mountains to find food in the wake of the fires which reduced native animal numbers.
A NPWS Southern director agreed that sheep losses had been unacceptable and said there was now a full-time trapper and a baiting program. Aerial baiting had been suspended, he confirmed, due to the potential impact on native species, especially the tiger quoll. But he said getting access to the dogs to trap is now easier, as they're coming down from the high country.
On March 28, the Federal Agriculture Minister announced 22 feral animal control projects in NSW and Queensland. Up to $1 million has been made available to control rabbits, feral pigs, goats and other pest animals in areas that have been drought-declared.
The Sunday Age/The Sunday Telegraph, 30/3/03.
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