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Report on dingo population on Fraser

Progress report indicates prevalent dingo population on Fraser

A dingo survey in progress has confirmed that there are currently 231 tagged dingoes on Fraser Island.

Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk tabled the interim report for stage one of the Fraser Island Dingo Population Study at the Budget Estimates hearing.

“The dingo eartag register currently has records for 231 individual dingoes,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Furthermore the report also estimates that a third of the dingo population are not tagged so current indications are pointing towards a very healthy and prevalent population.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the survey also included an intensive sighting project carried out between November 2009 and 31 May 2010 which recorded 810 dingo sightings.

“These figures obviously include multiple sightings of the same animal but show an active population,” she said.

Other findings include:

* The heaviest weight recorded for an 18-month juvenile was 20kg – that’s the same as an adult dingo.

* The lowest weight recorded in that age group was 13.8kg, which is the average weight of an adult dingo on the mainland.

* The dingoes are moving long distances in short periods, with one dingo recorded travelling between Sandy Cape and the Ungowa Campground, a straight line distance of approximately 80 kilometres.

* Young dingoes on the western side of Fraser Island and in less visited areas appear smaller, indicating a birth time of up to two months later than those observed on the eastern beaches.

The State Government announced the commissioning of the survey last year to update data collected over the past decade which suggested the Fraser Island dingo population naturally fluctuated between 100 and 200 animals.

Ms Palaszczuk said a full report of phase one of the Fraser Island Dingo Population Study, to be independently peer-reviewed, would be released soon.

“This is part one of a two-year survey which will provide a better understanding not only of total numbers but also of other factors such as dingo dispersal across the island, the total number of packs, and the age and composition of those packs,” she said.