Predator playground; the role of quarries in the lives of wild dogs

Since the arrival of the dingo in Australia 4000 years ago, wild dogs have been a part of the Australian landscape. Although generally attributed to having a negative impact on native ecosystems through predation, wild dogs can have a positive impact by reducing the number of feral species, which may compete with native species for the same resources.

Wild dogs have been sited at the Kables sands quarry but little is known about them and/or any role they may play in the adjacent environment. Quarries may act to attract wild dogs to a region by providing an open clear space, facilitating predation. Thus quarries indirectly through the actions of wild dogs may facilitate native biodiversity in adjacent habitats by reducing the number of feral species or conversely, contribute to its decline by consuming native fauna. This project will seek to quantify the number of dogs visiting the quarry and elucidate their role in the local landscape – pests or biodiversity facilitators.