Dingoes and grids
Sue Brooks January 11th, 2010
I spent Sunday at Eurong. The main grid to Eurong is full of sand and has been full of sand, I am told, for over 2 months. How can it be that the State Government closes two camp grounds just before the holidays due to ‘dangerous dingo behaviour’ but at the very same time facilitates all these dingoes to happily wander in and out of Eurong township?
Eurong locals tell me that there are dingoes currently within the township. Funny how there has been no negtive interactions with these dogs and I really hope that these dingoes are not now euthanised simply for being in the wrong place!
Why has the State Government invested hundreds and thousands of our dollars into building dingo fences but did not provide their very hard working rangers with the necessary equipment and resources to adequately maintain the fences and associated grids?
I’m also told this morning that the grid at Happy Valley has been minus its solar panel so is that grid electrified? I am sure the grid at Eurong isn’t as we walked back and forth on top of the wires on Sunday without getting zapped!
It is time that our State Government removed this unworkable infrastructure and spoke to world renowned animal behavioursits such as Dr Temple Grandin and our local Adam O’Neill to develop a sensible management strategy for our dingoes. The one that they are using now simply does not work!
Eurong grid with Norma and Geoff
Eurong grid full of sand
- Fraser Island , Uncategorized
- Comments(2)
Sue,
In today’s world, politics at all levels, is about being seen to do some thing.
Whether it works is another story. The Dingos are dead in all but fact.
Due to a lack of any genuine concern on the part of those in government.
Most of the public don’t really care, after all, out of site is out of mind.
Sadman
Well I tend to disagree with Sadman.
There are many people who are trying very hard to save our Dingo.
Whether it by bringing the dingoes attention to the public thru the media, whether it be by having dingoes at a Sanctuary or a Zoo and even many scientists employed by this Govt who are doing research into the dingoes behavior in the bush.
Having said that, there are 100’s more who want the dingo killed for all the red necked attitudes they have inherited over the years, and much of it thru hearsay and ignorance.
No doubt a change of Govt and definitely a change of attitude with some of the rangers on Fraser island and we will have a more secure future for the dingo.
Admittedly all the $$$$ spent on the fences and electric grids seems a waste of money and time.
Before QPWS took over from Foresty the life of the dingo was pretty secure. There was sufficient food sources and not too many tourists visiting the Island to cause problems.
But now the problem is the Management Strategy for the dingoes on the Island.
The dingoes have never really been a problem to the Island’s residents, black or white.
Sadly it is the 2 day tourists that causes the problems.
Fraser Island is the dingoes home, it has nowhere else to live. The tourists come for a few days, leave their footprints ,food wrappers and paper daisy’s behind and camp themselves in the path of the dingoes daily walkabout for food and boundary patrol.
Of course the dingo is going to check out anyone camping in his back yard, especially when he can smell their food.
The main problem is that nobody thinks like a dingo, so therefor they do not understand a dingoes instinct to survive.
The Govt should make as part as the Condition of Entry that people are aware they are entering a wilderness area ( not Bondi Beach ) and they will encounter wild animals. That they should behave accordingly and at all times not approach any animals. If they do so and are harmed in anyway by this interaction, then they are totally responsible for their own actions and cannot sue the Govt .
Only thru actions like this will the future of the dingo become more secure.
I keep saying that Ear Tagging should be TOTALLY BANNED. It serves no purpose but a death warrant .
The dingoes should be left alone to breed, survive and control the ecology of the Island as they have in 100’s of years previous. Whiteman’s progress has always destroyed the environment.