dingo image

A collaborative research project is under way to count the number of dingoes on Fraser Island and study their interaction with humans.The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (NR & M) and UQ will jointly research and monitor the wild dog population on Fraser Island.

The project is part of the QPWS Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy, which called for research after a dingo attacked a nine-year-old boy on the Island in April 2001.

QPWS (Southern Region) Co-ordinator Conservation Research and Project Manager Dr Geoff Lundie-Jenkins said the research, using DNA technology, would give the QPWS a clearer idea of the extent of the dingo population and issues needing to be addressed. "Researchers will use DNA technology that has been applied in America, but is fairly new in this context in Australia," Mr Lundie-Jenkins said.

"The QPWS has committed $64,400 over three years to the project and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NR & M formalising the involvement of NR & M dingo specialist Lee Allen," Dr Lundie-Jenkins said.

University of Queensland School of Animal Studies PhD student Nick Baker will do most of the fieldwork and DNA analysis, supervised by UQ Gatton wildlife biology lecturer Dr Luke Leung and Mr Allen.

"The DNA method has been applied to coyotes and bears in America, but is fairly new in this context in Australia," Mr Baker said.

"We will extract DNA from dingo faeces that will give us information about the purity of the dingoes and the population size, as well as allow researchers to identify individual animals. The dingo faeces will also be used to determine the dogs' diets."

The research will involve:

population surveys and monitoring;

examining population and behavioural ecology;

examining dietary ecology and predatorprey relationships;

monitoring humandingo interactions;

managing dingo behaviour;

examining sociology and psychology of human/dingo interactions;

examining genetics and hybridisation; and

reviewing research and reporting of research outcomes.

Dr Leung said the project, entitled Population and Behavioural Ecology of Dingoes on Fraser Island, would involve physically demanding fieldwork on the Island for three years. "We aim to look at dog numbers and the influence of food-availability on the population, including its interaction with humans," he said.
"Additionally, the project provides an excellent education and training opportunity for students in our wildlife biology program".

Research team
Chief investigator and principal supervisor for Nick Baker (UQ PhD student):
  Dr Luke Leung of the School of Animal Studies www.uq.edu.au/uqresearchers/researcher/leungk.html
Collaborator of the project and co-supervisor for Nick Baker:
  Lee Allen of the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (NR&M)
QPWS (Southern Region) Co-ordinator Conservation Research and Project Manager (Manager of the project):
  Dr Geoff Lundie-Jenkins of QPWS

Funding
2001-2005 Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ($64,400 a year)
Email: lkl@sas.uq.edu.au

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