New Zealand to Kill Goats Using Self-Destructing Dingoes

[Mayhem]

Original Article:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-2...aviour/7652424

"Death row dingoes set to be the environmental saviour of Great Barrier Reef's Pelorus Island"

A Queensland council is releasing dingoes onto a Great Barrier Reef island to kill feral goats that are destroying its endangered ecosystem.

The four wild dogs, two of which have already been released on Pelorus Island, will not have a chance to become pests themselves, as they have been implanted with a time-activated poison, Hinchinbrook Shire Council said.

Some quotes from an opinion piece about these news:

And now for an "exciting" and "ambitious" "world-first" plan from New Zealand to exterminate all introduced predators

New Zealand's killing ways challenge conservation psychology and anthrozoology: Cruelty can't stand the spotlight

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...ucting-dingoes

Thanks Aussies, great way to end a monday.

Edit: Soo apparently i forgot to include a link to the original article, it was late and i was tired.
I included the original article on top. A mod please change the title it´s actually australia not new zealand.

[owbu]

I dont know what I just read, but it did make me happy

[Dug]

Huh... interesting. I'm all for controlling invasive species but I don't really know how I feel about the timed poison thing.. that sure is wacky though I'll give em that. Best way to manage nature is with nature so props to NZ *for taking the initiative*

[animeprime]

My first thought when I saw the title was dingos blowing up after they caught a goat. After reading the article I am disappointed.

On topic, as someone that grew up on a ranch and dealt with animal death regularly I don't understand the authors hysterical tone. After they eat all the goats the dingoes are going to either eat all the native wildlife they're trying to protect, or starve to death which would be cruel as well. They were already condemned to die but now they'll have several weeks of an all you can bleat buffet. Sounds like a pretty awesome way to go honestly.

[RobertoCarlos]

Well I'd still be alarmed at a culture that teaches kids that it is a good idea to kill wildlife.

Sometimes this is needed. I'm an animal lover and im constantly learning new things. But high levels of goats gazing all the plant life fucks everything.

Also sometimes you get old males like bulls or rhinos that are past the age to mate but are big and strong and kill off other younger males that could mate with potential partners. So sometimes killing is a means to an end

[Jonnusthegreat]

Anyone have a TLDR of the article?

[Dug]

Anyone have a TLDR of the article?

New Zealand is taking a drastic measure to culling invasive/pest wildlife and using dingoes to hunt them down and kill/eat them. The dingoes will either die of natural causes or a "timed poison" that will kill them so that they don't become pests themselves. Some outrage because it's deemed "inhumane" at least by the author and apparently school children are encouraged to kill pest animals? But that's basically it.

[Citizen T]

I agree on that sure. But taking the kids out to hunt wildlife at school crosses a line. I do not oppose hunting as a hobby (within hunting preserves that stock and often even end up protecting said species) but I would be wary if it was institutionalized.

If the hunting preserve is being controlled for all intents and purposes it has become institutionalized. Your statement is contrary to itself.

[Forgettable]

The article is obviously written by some tree hugging hippy. "Reprehensible slaughter" really? If the goats are destroying the ecosystem, then get rid of them. Geez, some people are so illogical.

[alzoron]

You should have linked to the article referenced in the article you linked. Much easier to read and isn't 90% self-righteous preaching.

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

Is 1080 poison like HD poison? And how do they know the dingoes will only go after the goats and not other wildlife. Parts of the Caribbean imported mongoose to go after rats and they started eating everything. I'd think it'd be easier to sell goat hunting permits.

[Kosyne]

I should point out that Dingoes are endemic to Australia, and the Great Barrier Reef is also Australian.

The blog even quotes the headline of an Australian ABC article about this Dingo plan, and yet still attributes it to New Zealand. Different countries, different governments, different places.

Even ignoring the very obvious bias in the blog, a factual error of that size being present (in the title even!) is a hint as to the value of this piece of writing.

[Waniou]

Yeah... when you can't tell the difference between New Zealand and Australia... I'm not putting a huge amount of stock in your opinion.

Regarding 1080, there's a very, very good reason why its usage in New Zealand is very, very restricted. The Department of Conservation doesn't just let anyone use it and are very careful about where they use it. That stuff is nasty, but it's pretty effective in controlling pests.

[derpkitteh]

won't dingos just kill the native animals too? a kiwi bird is basically a pre-packaged snack for them.

they won't hunt goats when they have other easier meals. that's the way nature works.

[Fargus]

The article is obviously written by some tree hugging hippy. "Reprehensible slaughter" really? If the goats are destroying the ecosystem, then get rid of them. Geez, some people are so illogical.

Have you ever seen an animal die from 1080 poisoning?

[Waniou]

won't dingos just kill the native animals too? a kiwi bird is basically a pre-packaged snack for them.

they won't hunt goats when they have other easier meals. that's the way nature works.

This is why this idea is utterly stupid to think it would be applied in New Zealand.

Though with that said, goats aren't a threat to kiwis either, so, if for some reason, we did decide to implement it here, it would be a place without native birds.

[Fargus]

Yeah... when you can't tell the difference between New Zealand and Australia... I'm not putting a huge amount of stock in your opinion.

Regarding 1080, there's a very, very good reason why its usage in New Zealand is very, very restricted. The Department of Conservation doesn't just let anyone use it and are very careful about where they use it. That stuff is nasty, but it's pretty effective in controlling pests.

The stuff is horrific. Don't care how "effective" it is, it's very cruel.

They could have just introduced them, then culled them with a bullet to the head. Not with a poison that is not only exceptionally cruel, but has a pretty awful flow-on effect with the rest of the ecosystem. Anyone saying it's "hippy shit" to complain about it can come back to me when they see a dingo suffer horribly from it in front of their eyes. Kids should be taught how to take care of problems humanely, not conveniently be cruel because it's "easier" or whatever rationale is used to be an indifferent arsehole.

[Waniou]

The stuff is horrific. Don't care how "effective" it is, it's very cruel.

They could have just introduced them, then culled them with a bullet to the head. Not with a poison that is not only exceptionally cruel, but has a pretty awful flow-on effect with the rest of the ecosystem. Anyone saying it's "hippy shit" to complain about it can come back to me when they see a dingo suffer horribly from it in front of their eyes. Kids should be taught how to take care of problems humanely, not conveniently be cruel because it's "easier" or whatever rationale is used to be an indifferent arsehole.

Well yes, but until we come up with a more effective solution, it's the best we've got.

Forgive me for being blunt, but I would rather have possums dying horribly than having more of our native species risk extinction. Yeah, I'd rather 1080 not be used but there's really not a better solution.

[Forgettable]

Have you ever seen an animal die from 1080 poisoning?

No, but 4 dingoes dying (even excruciatingly) can't be worse than an entire environment and ecosystem being destroyed.

[Fargus]

No, but 4 dingoes dying (even excruciatingly) can't be worse than an entire environment and ecosystem being destroyed.

That's not the point.

Why can't they cull the dingoes with a bullet instead?