PARK WATCH Article December 2024 |

Jordan Crook, Parks and Nature Campaigner, with the latest on Dingo protection (or lack thereof)

In mid-September, the Victorian Government made the troubling decision to extend the culling of Dingoes on public and private land until 1 January 2028. Their media release, disingenuously titled ‘Balancing Dingo Conservation and Management’, obscured the serious implications of the decision.

This unprotection order, enacted under the Wildlife Act, revokes the Dingo’s status as a threatened species under state nature laws (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act). It’s difficult to understand what ‘balance’ means when the culling zone in eastern Victoria has expanded by a staggering 260,309 hectares of private land.

This decision blatantly ignores the evidence of declining Dingo populations and their genetic diversity in eastern Victoria. It disregards research demonstrating that Dingoes are not hybridising with domestic dogs. And it undermines the cultural significance of Dingoes to First Nations communities and their critical role in maintaining a resilient, healthy web of life.

September’s decision did include some small victories, such as ending the discredited bounty program that targeted Dingoes, and a modest investment in non-lethal deterrent trials.

Still, the overall impact is alarming. Melinda Browning, director of the Australian Dingo Foundation, warned that this decision could push alpine Dingoes onto an ‘extinction trajectory.’

Last year alone, at least 468 Dingoes were trapped and shot. This is a significant loss of 2,640 individuals.  The estimated population remaining in eastern Victoria is 8,800 animals.

VNPA is deeply concerned about the genetic health of the Wilkerr/Dingo population in the Big Desert. These Dingoes have been removed from state culling programs due to their low numbers and genetic diversity.

We continue to collaborate with Traditional Owners and conservationists to advocate for non-lethal management of Dingoes on private land. Together, we can protect these incredible animals and end the state-sponsored killing programs on public lands.