Big Desert Dingo Research
banner
bigdesertdingo.bsky.social
Big Desert Dingo Research
@bigdesertdingo.bsky.social
🐾 Dingo tracker, Collaborative researcher & Advocate based in the Wimmera-Mallee 🐾
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
After a 4y delay, @vicgovernment.bsky.social has released a disappointing response to the recommendations of an Expert Advisory Panel which reviewed the 1975 Wildlife Act, rejecting many critical recommendations from the Panel.

See our assessment: biodiversitycouncil....
October 22, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
A chat about our work estimating the population size of Wilkerr (dingoes) in Big Desert-Wyperfeld.

Starts 1:25 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr....
Victorian Country Hour - ABC listen
North-west Victorian livestock producer ridicules the state's ag department for refusing to release dingo predation figures
www.abc.net.au
September 11, 2025 at 10:00 PM
So proud to have contributed to this important research, even though the truth is so heartbreaking.
Our pre-print on EcoEvoRxiv 👉 ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...

"Dingo abundance and density was estimated as 77 (64–94) individuals and 0.014 (0.012–0.017) dingoes/km²—lower than previously reported estimates—and varied significantly in response to aspects of the fire regime and distance from roads."
Landscape drivers of population density of a vulnerable apex predator (Wilkerr/dingo)
ecoevorxiv.org
September 11, 2025 at 1:07 PM
💔
We need to protect livestock & support graziers. We can do so without killing dingoes. Adequate & well-maintained fencing & the appropriate use of guardian animals (dogs/donkeys) is essential. A public reminder. Killing dingoes on public or private land, in NW Victoria, without a permit, is illegal.
July 31, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Something nice. Wilkerr pups from Wotjobaluk Country.

Captured on cameras as part of our research in collaboration with @bigdesertdingo.bsky.social.
July 22, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
The last thing Victoria’s Mallee needs is a feral donkey population! au.news.yahoo.com/couple-panic... By @michaeldahlstrom.bsky.social
Couple 'panicked' by destructive discovery on outback roadside
There was an issue bigger than their own safety that worried the pair. Find out more.
au.news.yahoo.com
June 30, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Despite public perceptions, sheep and cattle are not a favoured prey for some dingoes or foxes. So is culling them to protect livestock justified?
Farmers fear dingoes are eating their livestock – but predator poo tells an unexpected story
theconversation.com
May 11, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Listen to Rachel Mason talk more about our study here 👉 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... Segment starts 1:52:00.
May 12, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
As a mammalogist I'm fascinated by 💩 because it can help us to answer important questions, like who eats more livestock, dingoes or foxes, and how many threatened or near-threatened species are eaten by cats and foxes?

New paper, by PhD student Rachel Mason theconversation.com/farmers-fear...
Farmers fear dingoes are eating their livestock – but predator poo tells an unexpected story
Despite public perceptions, sheep and cattle are not a favoured prey for some dingoes or foxes. So is culling them to protect livestock justified?
theconversation.com
May 11, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Please, journalists, including Petra Oates, stop publishing incorrect & unhelpful narratives from industry reps. Please report what the actual independent, peer-reviewed scientific data suggests about dingoes & the best approaches for resolving conflict. www.stockandland.com.au/story/894751...
Are Victoria's wild dog controls based on an outdated definition of a dingo?
Victoria's classification is different to the rest of the country.
www.stockandland.com.au
May 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Spotted this tiny legend while out doing field work, a western pygmy possum. These tiny marsupials play an important ecological role and are a testament to the biodiversity still persisting in our semi-arid systems. #FieldworkFinds #WesternPygmyPossum #WildOz
May 8, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Australia’s wildlife and environments are world renowned, but in deep, deep trouble. What’s urgently needed, and entirely possible, to begin turning things around? In the lead up to the federal election we discuss what Australia’s next government can and must do theconversation.com/australians-....
Australians want nature protected. These 3 environmental problems should be top of the next government’s to-do list
Three experts consider what’s required to protect and conserve Australia’s natural wonders, from fighting invaders to stopping habitat loss and saving species.
theconversation.com
April 1, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The Vice President of the VFF continued to push harmful "wild dog" rhetoric at the Nhill "community" meeting on Wednesday night. This is just one voice clip highlighting the serious misinformation being spread.
#dingocoexistence #DingoesNOTwilddogs
March 23, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Cultural discrimination and persecution writ large.

"The Federal opposition says it will redraw cultural heritage legislation to prevent it from being used to delay projects like the duplication of the Western Highway."
www.wimmeramalleenews.com.au/call-for-act...
Call for action following highway death | Wimmera Mallee News | Local News covering Sport, Rural, Council & Business News for Horsham, Warracknabeal, Dimboola, Rainbow, Jeparit & Yaapeet in VIC Austra...
The Federal opposition says it will redraw cultural heritage legislation to prevent it from being used to delay projects like the duplication of the Western Highway.
www.wimmeramalleenews.com.au
March 19, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Why not gps tracking of all farm dogs and farm vehicles too, nobody would have a problem with that, right? www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/subscribe/ne...
March 20, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
I really enjoy listening to the ABC's Country Hour and @warwicklong.bsky.social, but I've got to say the continued bias and sloppy way in how the issue of wilkerr (dingo) management in NW Victoria is discussed is terrible and simply poor journalism.
Victorian Country Hour - ABC listen
From processed tomatoes into skin care, how Australia's largest tomato processor is diversifying its business
www.abc.net.au
March 11, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Some photo comparisons of #Gariwerd NP before and after the recent bushfire. It’s absolutely devastating—over 70% of the park has burnt. Heartbreaking to see. #BushFires #WildOz #BushfiresAustralia #GariwerdNationalPark #Grampians #GrampiansNationalPark #GariwerdBushfire #GrampiansBushfire
March 3, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
There are very serious questions that require answers from the Victorian government au.news.yahoo.com/call-for-ans...
Call for answers after poison found buried in rare predator's habitat
The discovery inside an Australian state forest has prompted calls for more transparency. Find out more.
au.news.yahoo.com
February 27, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Cool, now the ABC is getting in on the act of whipping up hysteria & spreading misinformation.

We can’t make it any clearer.

*Wilkerr (dingoes) were kept under permit & contained at all times on private land.*

There are no wild dingoes roaming the Little Desert.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...
Sheep producers worry after discovery of nearby dingo breeding site
Farmers are concerned after a bushfire revealed a dingo breeding site has been operating in Victoria's Little Desert National Park, but a conservationist says it poses no threat to livestock.
www.abc.net.au
February 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Very curious indeed! It is well known that 1080 and PAPP kill dingoes!
Curious how poison baiting for foxes on public land in northwest Victoria avoids killing threatened and protected wilkerr (dingoes) in the same area? The Unprotection Order for wilkerr in this region was recently removed. It is illegal to kill wilkerr unless a permit is issued.
February 22, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Some *really basic fact-checking* by Emma Kealy would reveal that many of her claims/suggestions are nothing more than divisive, opportunistic, hurtful, ignorant and misleading nonsense.

I despair at our political class.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/parliamentar...
Wild dog control - Adjournment - Wednesday 19 February 2025 - Legislative Assembly - Hansard - Parliament of Victoria
www.parliament.vic.gov.au
February 20, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
Some social carnivores use group hunting to take down large, dangerous prey.

Here, wilkerr (dingoes) wear down a large adult male western grey kangaroo, in a waterhole, over ~3.5 hours.

They must be careful as these roos can cause serious harm, drown & kill them www.linkedin.com/posts/profes....
Some social carnivores use group hunting to take down large, dangerous prey. Here, wilkerr (dingoes) are seen wearing down a large adult male western... | By Euan | Facebook
Some social carnivores use group hunting to take down large, dangerous prey. Here, wilkerr (dingoes) are seen wearing down a large adult male western...
www.facebook.com
February 17, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Reposted by Big Desert Dingo Research
If this wasn't so incredibly culturally insensitive and hurtful, it'd almost be funny. Rachel Simmonds and The Weekly Times are doubling down on their concocted bs. Whither journalism. The idiocy and colonialist entitlement is dripping off the page...

www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/subscribe/ne...
February 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM