Sat, Apr 24, 2004 - Page 5 News List

Australia to launch an inquiry on its teeming pests

REUTERS , SYDNEY

But attacks on sheep by wild descendants of European dogs which have interbred with native dingoes are clearly the result of the arrival in Australia of European settlers.

Woolgrower Robert Pietsch says millions of feral dogs, which are extending their territory from central Queensland to coastal and urban areas, are the most feared predator for sheep.

Every morning farmers are finding more and more sheep on the populated side of Australia's 6,000km dingo fence, an improved version of the original rabbit fence, with large chunks bitten from their rear ends and sides.

"Locusts will come and go, a lot of pests will come and go, but wild dogs [are] an ongoing problem. [It is a] very gut-wrenching and emotional problem," Pietsch said.

Nobody knows how many camels and donkeys roam Australia's sandy inland wilds. They were brought into the country in colonial days by exploration teams and then set loose to terrorize the native wildlife.

But up to 10,000 camels a year are caught and exported to the Middle East and Asia.

"[Introduced species] were brought in to fix up one problem that Australia may have been having at the time and caused about 10 more," Elson said.

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