Worlds collide for our 'death row dingoes'
Save Port Douglas Dingoes
A pair of young rainforest dingoes which frequent the Port Douglas Sports Complex are “on death row’’, one of their self-appointed protectors has emotionally confirmed, adding that he will do everything he can to stop them being trapped.
But the unidentified vagrant is not alone in his quest to spare the native dogs a death sentence.
WILD VIDEO: DINGO DOMAIN
Rosie Wang, whose pictures published by Newsport last week sparked widespread debate about keeping secret the location of the animals, has launched a petition to protect them, saying “killing them contradicts state regulations”, while Newsport has asked if they could be rehomed locally at Wildlife Habitat, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures or even Australia Zoo.
While vocal Douglas Shire dingo supporters have tried to keep secret the homes and regular haunts of the larger population, the young dogs have made the Port Douglas skatepark and surrounds their domain, and the Douglas Shire Council has held firm that public safety is the concern and they will not re-think their dingo management plan.
The more brazen male was perched proudly on the central skate ramp emblazoned with the Port postcode “4877” when first spotted on Saturday morning, the bitch taking a more cautious approach.
¨Community safety is the number one priority during this process¨ - Douglas Shire Council
They moved around the concrete complex with little concern, backing off but coming back at first timidly but then with more purpose. They took position to watch a woman putting her dogs in a ute after a run on the rugby grounds, and wandered across the pump track before holding command high on the skate ramp.
The male then made a beeline towards car campers in the parking bay, including the man who says he will do all he can to save them, and his labrador. She shot out towards him aggressively in the type of scene which has put this creature in the sights of council rangers.
“It’s OK… that’s his girlfriend,’’ the man said.
“She has his measure. They’re friendly with each other.’’
The man stops overnight regularly at the location and says he has seen and spoken to council rangers about the dingoes a number of times over the past two months.
“He has told me they are on death row,’’ he said.
“If they are trapped, they will be killed. But I’ll be doing what I can to stop that from happening.’’
Disturbingly, the man says the bitch appeared to be in heat a couple of weeks ago and could be in pup. He suggested she was skittish and stayed back but the male dog was quite bold and well-accustomed to people, with comments on Newsport’s social media adding weight to that.
Visitor to town Sam Cee turned to social media comments for tips on how to respond if one of the curious dingoes stalked you.
“Practical tips on what to do/say if you’re walking your dog and a curious dingo appears,’’ he said, asking for helpful comments.
WATCH THE VIDEO: DEATH ROW DINGOES
“He followed, we kept walking.. a little brisker, he followed, kept walking, he followed closer. I turned and hissed sharp and loud, brought some seconds of time, kept walking, he still followed a fair way, we got inside'' - Visitor Sam Cee said of his nerve-wracking interaction with the dingo
“Learning behaviours of animals and learning things we can peacefully do to navigate through these sorts of encounters is imperative to living together respectfully,’’ he said.
It is that kind of education and measures Cairns-based dingo conservationist, Luke Cooper, says is needed in Port Douglas.
Mr Cooper, who is the only person to have studied the purity of the Douglas Shire dingoes, is moving to have the larger population permanently protected. He also wants signage put up warning people of the presence of dingoes and educating them on measures to take to limit interactions.
Ms Wang’s petition, launched on Sunday, December 15, calls for the immediate removal of traps targeting dingoes in Port Douglas; a shift in council policy away from baiting and killing dingoes and increased public education on safely coexisting with dingoes.
“Queensland’s official stance recognises dingoes as native wildlife under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, where they are protected in national parks,’’ the petition says.
“Killing them contradicts the state's regulations, which prohibit disturbing or harming protected wildlife. Yet the Council claims their actions align with the Biosecurity Act 2014 - a law that does not explicitly endorse killing indigenous species.’’
Council last week responded to Newsport questions to say it would not reconsider its management strategy for the dingoes as “public safety was the priority’’.
“Douglas Shire Council’s approach to wildlife management has often been reactive - removing trees to avoid falling coconuts, and now killing dingoes to address hypothetical risks’’ - Rosie Wang.
“Instead, we should prioritise coexistence and relocation through education, awareness campaigns, and signage to discourage feeding or approaching dingoes.’’
Dingoes “living as dogs” in Port Douglas
Meanwhile, comments and observations coming from the Port Douglas community allege that at least two dingo pups have already been domesticated, while a wild one had been reported by night street works crews in Macrossan Street last week.
“Let’s talk about some of those dingos pups being lured and now they are on the leash! Used like pets! Walking like a dog,’’ said Agostino Arrigo.
“The wild ones aren't an issue to anyone and will be sad if they get removed. They are beautiful. In the other hand, the one on the leash should be removed from whoever captured them before something will happen.’’
But Bon White says their small Maltese dog was attacked by dingoes in the family garage recently.
“Many thousands of dollars spent at vet’s saved her.’’
A number of residents on the outskirts of the township and on farms also commented their dogs had been harassed by dingoes and there had been some losses of young calves reported this year.
And John Hutton shares the concerns of council: “Why wouldn't we want wild predators living near our children's skate park?’’
Other residents and users of the Port Douglas Sports Complex say they and their dogs have had interactions with the dingoes, one regularly user concerned that people camped in the grounds have been feeding the dingoes.
*** Images and Videos are the work and property of Newsport Daily and its photographer Bryan Littlely.
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