The Smith CoEx Lab believe that lethal control of predators should be avoided where possible. However, it is inevitable that predators and humans (including landholders and the public) will come into contact, so we are seeking to develop and test innovative methods of managing wild carnivores- particularly the Australian dingo.
We are looking at several different methods, including aversive conditioning, fladry and other disruptive stimuli.
Publications
Smith, B., & Appleby, R. (2018). Promoting human-dingo co-existence in Australia: Moving towards more innovative methods of protecting livestock rather than killing dingoes (Canis dingo). Wildlife Research, 45 (1), 1-15. doi: 10.1071/WR1616
Appleby, R., Smith, B., Bernede, L., & Jones, D. (2017). Utlising aversive conditioning to manage the behaviour of Fraser Island dingoes (Canis dingo). Pacific Conservation Biology, 23, 335-358. doi: 10.1071/PC17017
Appleby, R., Smith, B., Mackie, J., Bernede, L., & Jones, D. (2017). Preliminary observations of dingo responses to assumed aversive stimuli. Pacific Conservation Biology, 23, 295–301. doi: 10.1071/PC17005