HARROW: Researchers are calling for the dog fence to be moved as an experiment that looks at ways to protect threatened native species and increase biodiversity.
The aim is to let dingoes breed up in Sturt National Park, near Cameron Corner, in far north-west New South Wales, so researchers can study the role the canines play in arid lands.
University of Sydney researcher Dr Thomas Newsome said the apex predator could play an important part in managing feral pests who prey on wildlife.
“There’s been ongoing interest in exploring the ecological role of the dingo,” he said.
“There have been lots of studies that have shown what happens when you take dingoes out of the system, but, from a scientific view, the next logical step is to see what happens when you put them back into the system.
“Our study is really tailored to helping to resolve the ongoing debate about whether the dingo can provide positive benefits to ecosystems that have suffered overgrazing of kangaroos and emus, as well as predation by introduced species such as feral cats and red foxes.”
The proposed study is expected to show that dingoes can in fact have a positive effect on ecosystems in which they were previously thought by many to do nothing but damage.
“There’s been lots of studies showing that where dingoes are present they can have suppressive effects on kangaroo and emu populations, as well as introduced species,” Dr Newsome said.
“All of these species contribute to rangeland degradation when in high densities.”
The University of Sydney paper proposing the experiment, which features 19 authors from Australia and America, will soon be presented to government departments and industry stakeholders.
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