THE BENEFITS OF CO-EXISTING WITH DINGOES
While the dingo is an introduced species, it has been in Australia long enough to become a functional part of the natural ecological system as a top-order predator. The dingo is widely considered to have replaced the thylacine in that role and was held to be solely responsible for the disappearance of the thylacine on mainland Australia.
Research published in 2011, however, suggests that increased competition and predation from growing human populations, combined with climate change, were also contributing factors to the thylacine’s extinction.
Our last post focused on ‘myth-busting’ about dingoes.
It included a video section about how some of those raising cattle in Australia are coming to understand that when they strive to live in harmony with dingoes how the landscape changes – how habitats important to native species dramatically improve.
You can read more about dingoes here – scroll down to see the video we reference above which features how habitats important to native and endangered species improve when dingoes are left alone.
After our last post…
There were a few naysayers and that got us thinking about a video we saw some time ago, one that featured the re-introduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the United States, one that featured the benefits of “trophic cascades“. It’s powerful and only 4 minutes and we’ve included it below.
Trophic cascades are powerful indirect interactions that can control entire ecosystems. Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.
We know dingoes have a similar impact within Australia – as you can see from this next video.
AN INTERESTING & FOR SOME SURPRISING RESULT
In the VIDEO above:
David Pollock from Wooleen Station in WA discusses the benefits of retaining Dingoes in the landscape. Covering over a quarter of a million acres of picturesque Outback, Wooleen Station is a cattle station that is playing a leading role in preserving and sustaining the unique ecology of the region.
As apex predators, Dingoes are important in maintaining the environmental health of Australian landscapes. Increasing evidence from scientific research and from on-ground observations by land managers show that they can be valuable partners in agriculture.
Dingoes reduce over-grazing by controlling kangaroos and controlling, in some cases locally eradicating, feral herbivore pests (goats, pigs and rabbits) and carnivores (foxes and cats).
By maintaining Dingo populations on their properties, graziers will additionally benefit by a reduction in the costs, time and frustration spent in the often unsuccessful effort to control them.
It is acknowledged and recognised that for sheep and goat producers, Dingoes in a district can have severe impacts unless there are active measures – not necessarily lethal – to protect these smaller stock.
We need your help to continue to protect precious habitats in New South Wales.
Save Our Woodlands has secured 4 significant tracks of land but funding is still needed for each.
Additionally, we are raising funds to build 4 km of wildlife-friendly fencing to keep stock out of precious and protected in perpetuity habitats of endangered and at risk species.
HELP PROTECT ENDANGERED KOALAS
FUNDRAISING TO PROVIDE WATERING STATIONS FOR ENDANGERED KOALASWe are only able to do what we do with the help of donations. Save Our Woodlands has 4 areas/projects/reserves that we are fundraising to protect in perpetuity. You may recall that we recently found koalas...
WORLD’S WARMEST FEBRUARY (VIDEO)
MORE CLIMATE RECORDS FALL IN WORLD'S WARMEST FEBRUARYUrgent actions to cut emissions can still slow warming.Last month was the world's warmest February in modern times, the EU's climate service says, extending the run of monthly records to nine in a row. Each month...
KOOKABURRA DECLINE
DECLINE OF COMMON BIRDS INCREASINGSadly the decline of many bird species continues... A deep dive into bird survey data has found that some of Australia's favourite backyard visitors considered 'common' are actually on the decline... Species disappearing weren’t just...
SACRED KING FISHER (VIDEO)
HELP US PROTECT SACRED KINGFISHERSThe Sacred Kingfisher is considered by the Maori people of New Zealand to have power over wind and water, hence the name “Sacred.”We are currently in a drought in New England, due to an El Nino weather pattern and the Indian Ocean...
KOALAS NEED YOUR HELP
WE THOUGHT KOALA COLONY PERISHED IN BUSHFIREKoalas are listed as an endangered species on Australia’s east coast. Surely the survival of this international icon is worthy of a global effort.SEPTEMBER 7, 2023: Until just days ago we thought all the koalas living on...
YOUR SUPPORT IS WORKING
WE HAVE AN EWOK LIVING IN #SOWL'S WOODLANDSWell maybe not quite an Ewok but close enough. Historically wombats were often found in our area but as agriculture expanded it was thought that they had died out -- BUT excitement... We spotted a wombat in Fig Tree Reserve,...
WILDLIFE FRIENDLY FENCING NEEDED
SAVE OUR WOODLANDS CURRENTLY NEEDS 4 KILOMETRES OF WILDLIFE FRIENDLY FENCINGWe are only able to do what we do with the help of donations. We have the volunteer manpower to install 4 kilometres of much-needed wildlife-friendly fencing but we need help to buy...
KOALAS ENDANGERED
IF WE CAN'T SAVE ICONIC KOALAS WHAT CHANCE DO LESSER KNOWN SPECIES HAVE?Koalas are listed as an endangered species on Australia’s east coast. Surely the survival of this international icon is worthy of a global effort.Queensland’s koala population has crashed by an...
Save Our Woodlands is an environmentally conscious group of volunteers dedicated to preserving threatened birds, animals and ecosystems in the woodlands of New South Wales, Australia.
Only 15% of our woodlands remain, the rest has been cleared for agriculture.
Save Our Woodlands Inc. secures and protects woodlands in NSW and pays landholders, in perpetuity, to conserve, enhance and re-establish native woodlands on THEIR land, and to manage these woodlands, so they are maintained.
BUT we need YOUR help. Together we can bring about change. Please consider donating.
People tend to think that woodlands are “just bush,” consequently, over 85% of the native woodlands in New South Wales, Australia have been replaced by agriculture.
Donate $10 per month & help protect critical habitats. By doing so YOU will prevent further species from extinction.
Our work is only possible with your support.
