Kathleen Kean
NOTE: (2012) This research project has now moved into its next phase. It’s too late for any of us to take part in the survey. We look forward to hearing about it when Kathleen has finished her work.
FOGG members are invited to have your say in this research to help provide a better understanding of the social attitudes towards dingo and wild dog management in Victoria.
The survey will take you approximately 10 minutes to complete and all respondents will go in a draw for the chance to win a $50.00 book voucher. Attitudes towards dingoes and ‘wild dogs’ vary considerably across and within different land uses and sections of the Australian community. A current lack of information regarding these views and their implications precludes effective management of dingoes and wild dogs, and therefore, our ability to ensure maximum simultaneous biodiversity, cultural and economic benefits.
A growing amount of evidence now exists about the dingoes’ role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function, highlighting the need for an understanding of social attitudes towards the ecological role of the dingo for future management. The understanding of social attitudes towards the conservation of this species is also now critically important, with the dingo recently being listed as a threatened species in Victoria. Conversely dingoes and wild dogs are associated with other significant management problems, such as their undesirable impact on livestock, thus making this issue highly significant when considering the social attitudes towards dingo and wild dog management. The issue of dingo and wild dog management is also clouded by the lack of distinction between the similarities and/or differences between dingoes and wild dogs, such as their identification in the wild and ecological role.
Due to the strongly interacting nature of dingoes/wild dogs in the landscape and with humans, the information from my study will have important relevance to the management of dingoes/wild dogs in Victoria.
My project aims to explore the theme of ‘perception versus reality’, which will examine the contrast between community attitudes where dingoes and wild dogs are both present and absent. I am currently proposing to use the Grampians region and NE Victoria (Tellangata, Corryong and Ovens Valley areas) as the case-studies to examine perception versus reality. Dingoes/wild dogs are not present in the Grampians regions but are present in NE Victoria, including National Parks.
Aim: To provide a better understanding of the social attitudes regarding the conservation and management of dingoes and wild dogs. Questions will address the following:
How do people perceive dingoes and wild dogs? Do they share the same behaviour and ecological role?
Attitudes towards the dingoes’ ecological role as an apex predator and their affect on introduced mesopredators.
Attitudes towards dingo conservation, for example attitudes towards possible reintroductions, legislative protection, where they should be protected (for example just in national parks) and also does level of purity within dingoes influence people’s attitude towards their ‘value’ and need for protection.
Methods: A combination of postal surveys, internet surveys (using survey monkey) and face-to-face interviews will be used, targeting the following community sectors:
Land and wildlife managers
General community members
Farming community
If you are interested in this project or can offer suggestions for recruiting survey participants, please contact: