As the deadline for public comment nears, two more organisations have weighed in on the proposal to reintroduce dingoes to the Grampians National Park.
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The Victorian Farmers Federation and the National Wild Dog Action Plan have voiced concern about the proposal, citing the risks to nearby livestock and already threatened fauna are far too great.
VFF Livestock Councillor Peter Star said while the VFF respects the cultural views and values of the traditional land owners, reintroducing dingoes without a robust plan to protect local communities, livestock and vulnerable native species from attack will end in disaster.
"Wild dogs cost the Victorian livestock industry about $18 million every year and there are many farmers around the Wartook and Victoria Valleys who are deeply concerned this proposal is aspirational, rather than practical," he said.
Mr Star said radio-collaring research in similar terrain has shown dingoes and wild dogs are highly mobile and can regularly roam up to 60 square kilometres from bushland and out into farmland.
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"We need to know exactly how the dingoes would be kept within the Grampians National Park," he said.
"If that solution is a fence, how secure will it be, who will patrol it and who's going to pay for it? Farmers must not be forced to bear this added cost."
The VFF has called for the Government to properly fund pest plant and animal programs on crown land, and resource the CMAs to coordinate programs that cost our economy a billion-dollars per annum and are a key threat to biodiversity.
National Wild Dog Management Coordinator Greg Mifsud said that the introducing dingo hybrids (wild dogs) to protect native fauna of the Grampians is ill conceived.
"Dietary studies show that dingoes and wild dogs are generalist predators preying predominantly on small wallabies and medium sized animals and will only increase the risk of predation the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby and other medium-sized marsupials," he said.
Predation by dingoes and wild dogs has been the cause of numerous failed native species reintroduction programs around Australia, explained Mr Mifsud.
"Dingoes have been assessed similar to foxes and cats in that they are a recognised, high-risk threat to many vulnerable and endangered species."
Mr Mifsud is not only extremely concerned about the impact that dingo hybrids will have those sheep properties adjoining the Grampians National Park, but also for sheep producers across the state.
"Dingoes are highly mobile, and we know from research they will not stay within the confines of the park.
"If they do escape, they could spread across the state using uncleared forest on private and public lands coming from the Grampians with devastating impacts for livestock producers across the region and the state."
For more information, visit www.engage.vic.gov.au/gariwerd-management-plan
