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Roaming of dogs in remote Indigenous communities in northern Australia and potential interaction between community and wild dogs
Author(s) -
Bombara C,
Dürr S,
Gongora J,
Ward MP
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12592
Subject(s) - dingo , wildlife , indigenous , home range , geography , range (aeronautics) , peninsula , cape , wildlife management , ecology , veterinary medicine , biology , habitat , medicine , predation , archaeology , materials science , composite material
Objective To investigate the roaming of Indigenous community dogs and potential interaction with wild dogs and dingoes. Design Cross‐sectional survey and longitudinal follow‐up study. Methods Six remote Indigenous communities in Cape York Peninsula and Arnhem Land in northern Australia were selected. Hair samples were collected from community dogs and microsatellite DNA analyses were used to determine hybrid (>10% dingo DNA ) status. Dogs were fitted with GPS collars and home range (ha) was estimated during monitoring periods of up to 3 days. Results In Cape York Peninsula, 6% of the 35 dogs sampled were dingo hybrids, whereas in Arnhem Land 41% of the 29 dogs sampled were hybrids. The median extended home range was estimated to be 4.54 ha (interquartile range, 3.40 − 7.71). Seven community dogs were identified with an estimated home range > 20 ha and home ranges included the bushland surrounding communities. No significant difference in home ranges was detected between hybrid and non‐hybrid dogs. Conclusions Study results provide some evidence (dingo hybridisation, bushland forays) of the potential interaction between domestic and wild dogs in northern Australia. The nature of this interaction needs further investigation to determine its role in disease transmission; for example, in the case of a rabies incursion in this region.