Biteback update July 2025

Inside Fence Ground Baiting for 2025 calendar year

The SAAL Biosecurity team thanks all properties who continue to undertake and meet their wild dog baiting requirements.

With many in the region, south of the dog fence facing tough climatic conditions, protection of livestock is increasingly important.

Already this year there has been an increase in both wild dog sightings and attacks and stock loss. Complacency or a belief that preventative control is no longer required can quickly result in dogs re-establishing and undoing the hard work landholders have undertaken over many years.

Graph 1 below shows the total number of baits inside fence landholders in the SAAL region placed on their properties during the past six baiting seasons.

The data shows the total amount of baits distributed inside the dog fence in autumn 2025 was almost 3,500 baits less than those distributed in autumn 2024, but also 6000 more than those distributed in spring 2024. Despite the latest increase, the total number is still significantly short of the mandatory baiting level of 71,983 inside the fence in spring and autumn each financial year period.

All landholders are encouraged to contact Biosecurity staff to better understand their minimum baiting requirements or if they are struggling to find a suitable volume of meat. The mandatory baiting level for a property helps to ensure everyone is doing their part to reduce wild dog impacts inside the dog fence. While the mandatory level of baiting is a precautionary control measure, it must be completed even when there is no sign of wild dog activity on a property.

Monitoring of wild dog activity and impacts

Graph 2 shows the number of wild dogs controlled (shot and trapped), and the combined number of wild dog signs reported (seen, tracks, scats) by land managers and professional trappers inside the dog fence for the past three financial years. It also includes the number of stock killed in the same period.

Similar to the baiting data in graph 1, the number of wild dogs controlled and the number of signs of wild dogs reported has decreased in comparison to autumn 2024, but tripled when compared to the spring 2024.

Very concerning is the doubling of reported stock losses in the past six months. Losses are higher this season than the previous three control seasons and indicates wild dog numbers and impacts are beginning to increase. More control is needed now to keep numbers under control.

Further to Graph 2, the table below shows a breakdown of reported wild dog activity by district. It is clear the increase is not isolated, and instead is across all districts that fall within the Region 1 mandatory control area as outlined in the Declared Animal Policy: Wild dogs and dingoes.

Activity information supplied through WildDogScan by land managers and professional trappers is a great way to measure if control efforts are having an impact, or when more effort is required. Since hard copy map reporting was phased out in 2024, there has been a significant decline in the number of properties reporting wild dog activity and impacts, as seen in graph 3. The more information supplied provides a better understanding of what is happening in the region. While no report indicates there has been no wild dog activity on your property, it is valuable data to determine if activity is localised to certain areas or within certain times of the year.

If you are unsure how to use WildDog Scan, please contact the Biosecurity team on 8429 9666.

Spring 2025 Injection Service proposed dates

The inside fence injection service dates for Spring 2025 are a little earlier than past years due to other feral pest project commitments. Official invitations and reminders have been sent. If you do not receive your invitation before the start of August 2025, please contact the Biosecurity team on 8429 9666.

• North Flinders/Marree: 25-28 August 2025
• Gawler Ranges: 1-2 September 2025
• Northeast Pastoral: 8-11 September 2025
• Kingoonya/Gawler Ranges: 15-18 September 2025