Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board (AWLB) are trialling modified Canid Pest Ejectors (CPEs) to control foxes who prey on nganamara (malleefowl). CPEs are small, metal bait stations commonly used to target foxes, wild dogs and dingoes, however AWLB have modified them to be dingo-safe. In the AW region, dingoes are a culturally and ecologically important species and are recognised as keeping fox and cat numbers down, and preventing kangaroos from becoming overabundant which leads to overgrazing of native flora.
AW staff worked with Far West Coast Rangers to set up the CPEs loaded with non-toxic baits along with automatic trail cameras to capture still and video imagery to monitor whether the dingo excluders are effective while foxes are still able to access the baits.
The trial is part of the Australian government funded Nganamara project and will run for several months. If the trial is considered successful, the CPEs will be deployed with active baits.Â
