POISONING CAMPAIGN FROM THE AIR

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5292, 3 January 1947, Page 2

POISONING CAMPAIGN FROM THE AIR

NEW SLANT ON DINGO MENACE ROCKHAMPTON Representing the most determined drive so far to combat the worst dingo menace on record, a Qantas aircraft piloted by FirstOffJcer E. W. Morton, has embarked on an aerial poisoning campaign in Queensland. More than 360,000 strychnine baits will he dropped' on -outes totalling 6,110 miles. The campaign is sponsored hy the Queensland Department of Lands, md it is expected that similar eradication methods will be tested in other States. Another campaign to be carried out in March or April next year will oe on a much larger scale than the ne now being conducted. The great increase in dingo popu'ation in North-west 'Queensland has resulted mainly from the absence of widespread organised attempts at 'estruction during the war. Chief breeding places are on rnarvinal country between sheep and :attle areas. " Some sheepowners on marginal ountry has already been forced * to hange over to cattle, and many others claimed that if action were i.ot taken they also would have to . evert to cattle. According to graziers, some of "he dogs are of great si?e, with footpads as large as those of a small oony. The off spring of crossing with Alsatian or English hounds, these , dogs are very daring and sometimes make daylight visits to townships and seize goats. During the 21 days' aerial campaign the maiii hases to be used will be at 'Cloncurry, Mount Isa, Dar'arra, H^oulia, McKinlay, and Julia 'ireek. On eacb trip the plane will carry Nait loads varying from 250 to 940 'b. Stryehnine tablets for the pre•aration of 500,000 baits were flown "rom London by Qantas specially for .he campaign. The first experiments in bait droping were -atried ou.t in July, when '00*0 test baits were released from arious altitudes. They were wrapped " i red, green, and blacfc and white ' rease-proof to indicate height of dr'op, and they wett^e obperved for •vind drift and landing conditions.