The grants form part of the State Government's WA Wild Dog Action Plan to decrease the impact of wild dogs on agricultural production and biodiversity.
Seven regional biosecurity groups and research organisations across five projects will examine innovative monitoring methods to support on-ground wild dog control.
The monitoring techniques complement previous funding that examined a range of alternative non-lethal wild dog control measures.
List of recipients
| Organisation | Amount | Project |
|---|---|---|
| The Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity Association | $50,000 | Trial the use of thermal technology for monitoring and create opportunities for after dark control activities |
| The Goldfields Nullarbor Recognised Biosecurity Group | $67,000 | Explore the potential of squawker boxes, drones, thermal scopes and camera traps to collect information on wild dog numbers. |
| Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association | $69,600 | Continue to run the Northern Agricultural Surveillance Network, in collaboration with the Midlands and Northern Biosecurity Groups. |
| Murdoch University | $100,000 | Create a wild dog lure and dispenser for camera trapping and to improve images of individual wild dogs to help analyse population size and assess control tools |
| Pilbara Regional Biosecurity Group | $32,500 | Use camera traps to assess the effectiveness of their annual aerial baiting program. |
About the fund
The WA Wild Dog Action Plan Research and Development (WDAP R&D) Fund 2023 to 2025 provides investment to investigate and develop alternative approaches to wild dog monitoring methods for wild dog management and control in WA.
Interested research, not-for-profit and other organisations, community, industry and producer groups and education institutions are encouraged to apply. Individuals are not eligible.
Up to $320,000 is available under the WA Wild Dog Action Plan from approximately July 2023 through to February 2025. Individual projects can apply for up to $100,000. Government agencies may partner in support of an application.
The proposed research and development projects must contribute towards innovative solutions through investigating and developing alternative approaches to monitoring methods for wild dog management and control. This includes research into and/or the development or improvement of innovative tools or technologies to improve the detection, reporting, control and management of impacts of wild dogs, including improving the humaneness of control methods.
Projects where the total co-contributions (cash and in-kind) match or exceed the grant application amount will be viewed favourably.
Applications which follow the WDAP R&D Fund guidelines, will be accepted via Smarty Grants from 12 December 2022 until 5:00pm (AWST) on 3 March 2023.
Announcement of successful candidates by the Minister for Agriculture and Food is expected in June 2023.