Wild dog management
Biteback
Since 2009, the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board, has coordinated the Biteback program to assist regional land managers inside the fence with best practice control for wild dogs, to co-ordinate a landscape-scale approach to control methods, and to impact on the wild dog population inside the fence.
Land managers with similar geography and land systems are encouraged to work together in cooperative groups via the development of Biteback groups sharing integrated best-practice control methods that include ground baiting (1080), trapping and shooting to reduce wild dog impacts.
Biteback provides land managers with a bi-annual 1080 bait-mixing services, year round access to manufactured baits, access to a trap loan service and offers its Biteback groups advice on future management, upcoming technologies, and interstate developments.
Find out more about 1080:
- Relative susceptabilities of non-target species from 1080
- watch the PestSmart video An environmentally responsible option for invasive species
The Biteback program is managed by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and is funded by the SA Sheep Industry Fund, Australian Wool Innovation and the Regional Landscape Levy collected by the board.
Biteback 10 year report - 2009-2019
The board has been working in partnership with the South Australian Sheep Advisory Group to deliver the Biteback wild dog control program to support the sheep industry in the rangelands since 2009.
This 10-year Biteback report delivers data showing trends including increased landholder participation in wild dog control over that time, with a significant improvement in landholder participation
Biteback Landholder Survey 2021
A Biteback survey sent to landholders inside the Dog Fence and in the Buffer Zone of the SA Arid Lands region looked at landholder experiences, control needs and expectations of the program. The results from this survey are guiding the future direction of the program.
All responses have been collated in a survey report, which is available here.
Best practice guidelines
In October 2017, the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board released its Best Practice Guidelines for Wild Dog Control which are endorsed by Livestock SA.
The Guidelines were developed following discussion and feedback from land managers and LAPs over a number of years and are a reference tool for the best methods to control wild dogs based on an integrated management approach coordinating baiting, trapping and shooting along with monitoring.
The Guidelines set a benchmark for land managers and the board to assess community efforts to control wild dogs.
Find out more in the Frequently asked questions
Inside the Dog Fence (south)
Inside the Dog Fence in South Australia, wild dogs/dingoes are a declared pest under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.
Outside the Dog Fence (north)
Outside the Dog Fence in South Australia, wild dogs/dingoes are neither specifically protected or declared but are acknowledged for their cultural significance and the ecological role they play in the environment.
Land managers in this zone should limit wild dog control activities to areas where wild dog impacts on livestock and public safety are likely. To support the ecological role of the wild dog, the level of control will be restricted by limiting the amount of baits available for each property on an annual basis.
In situations where annual control measures are not sufficient to reduce impacts to livestock, land managers will be required to provide evidence of this through submitting a Bait Request for Exceptional Circumstances form.
A six year Dingo Research Project coordinated by SAAL investigated the relationship between 1080 baiting, calf predation/lactation failure, and biodiversity on cattle stations outside of the Dog Fence. This research ended in 2014.
Find out more: Wild dog research report 2016
Aerial baiting
An aerial baiting program is also delivered to augment the ground baiting program. The aerial baiting program covers roughly 10,000km, delivering about 50,000 baits to 90 pastoral properties.
SA Arid Lands Wild Dog Management Plan
The SA Arid Lands Wild Dog Management Plan is an important document for the board and the region, providing a guide to land managers and government staff to conduct wild dog management in the region. It contributes to improved cattle and biodiversity outcomes outside the Dog Fence – where the wild dog/dingo is neither declared or protected – and control program inside the Dog Fence where the wild dog is a declared pest.
Find out more Frequently asked questions
Working together
The South Australian Wild Dog Management Strategy was released in 2023. It was developed by the South Australian Wild Dog Advisory Group (SAWDAG) in collaboration with the State Government, peak livestock and conservation stakeholder groups, the state and local dog fence boards and community members and groups.
The plan identifies the following four goals to manage wild dog populations and their associated impacts in SA:
- Goal 1 - Detect and eradicate wild dogs inside the dog fence
- Goal 2 - Prevent incursions by wild dogs through the dog fence
- Goal 3 - Protect the cattle industry
- Goal 4 - Ensure good governance for management of wild dogs across South Australia
Primary Industries and Regions SA offers additional Wild Dog programs, such as Professional trappers and Wild Dog bounty.
Biosecurity SA (a division of Primary Industries and Regions SA) also conducts an aerial baiting program to augment Biteback’s ground baiting program. The Dog Fence Board administers the dog fence