Local Land Services drops 137,381 aerial baits on wild dogs, foxes in enormous bombing campaign

Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall confirmed the state government had dropped baits along 3,434 kilometres of aerial lines, a distance longer than Sydney to Perth.

Landowners also laid about 9,000 ground baits as part of the campaign to reduce wild dog and fox populations in the state's north.

"This was a targeted campaign to maximise the impact on wild dog and fox populations across the region as they have the capacity to devastate livestock and native fauna, and carry diseases," he said.

"Almost 150,000 baits were dropped along 3,434 kilometres of pre-determined aerial lines - a distance farther than Sydney to Perth."

The two-week campaign started near Niangala, north of Tamworth, and continued to Legume, north of Tenterfield

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The bombing campaign, conducted by the Local Land Services, follows its biggest-ever spring baiting program, covering over 8969 kilometres of bait lines with 197,365 baits deployed in spring 2020.

Mr Marshall said "four-legged fiends" can have a significant impact on agriculture, with wild dogs estimated to cost the state more than $25 million each year.

"The 2021 wild dog and fox aerial baiting campaign was the culmination of five months of meticulous mapping and planning, and the injection of baits with 1080 by a team of Local Land Services (LLS) professionals, before they were deployed by helicopter," he said.

"Once again, this was a successful collaboration between 409 private landholders, LLS, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and NSW Forestry Corporation."

Mr Marshall said landholders and the NSW Government needed to maintain their control on wild dog and fox population numbers to minimise the burden on primary production and the environment.

"Research suggests we need to control 70 per cent of the wild dog population annually to prevent an explosion in numbers," he said.

Communities between Niangala and Legume are urged to restrain domestic pets for four weeks to minimise exposure to baits that may remain in the landscape.

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