One of the largest ever wild dog baiting programs in the Western Division which covered an area of 10,709,334 hectares is expected to leave wild dogs with nowhere left to hide.
Western Local Land Services (WLLS), and landholders who are members in 22 pest management and Western Landcare groups took part in the targeted campaign in May.
A fixed-wing aircraft travelling along 6,348km of predetermined bait lines, dropped 63,480 baits over largely inaccessible country across 155 properties in an effort to con-trol wild dogs.
Following aerial baiting which took just over a week, landholders in pest management and Western Landcare groups worked with their local biosecurity officers to collect meat baits to strategically distribute on their properties.
In total, 126,827 baits were placed by land-holders on 335 properties.
WLLS Biosecurity Team Leader, Tim Wall said the ongoing baiting programs targeting wild dogs and other pest animals (including foxes and feral cats) are hugely important.
“The numbers of baits distributed, and total area covered, are incredible, but extremely necessary to help reduce the impacts of wild dogs on individual landholders and the wider agricultural industry,” Mr Wall said.
“By removing wild dogs from the land-scape, we are protecting primary production, native animals (including many that are endangered species), and increasing biosecurity.”
“We strongly encourage any landholder not undertaking any forms of control for pest animals such as wild dogs to join their near-est pest management group as soon as possi-ble.”
Mr Wall said WLLS will continue to offer its Professional Wild Dog Controller Pro-gram to any local landholders who are looking to engage the services of a wild dog trapper.
