Camera Traps – July 2024 accrued 96-cassowary sightings, 62-dingoes and a whopping 1,296-feral pigs. Against the cumulative monthly average, cassowary numbers fell by 8%, whilst dingo-sightings rose by 56% and feral-pig sightings exploded by 632%. Against July 2023, cassowaries dropped by 26%, dingoes also fell by 9%, but feral-pigs multiplied by 325%.
CAMERA TRAPS – JULY 2024 – IMAGE HIGHLIGHTS
FERAL PIG DAMAGE IN WORLD HERITAGE AREA OUT-OF-CONTROL!
Rampant increase in feral-pig sightings should be setting off alarm bells at the highest levels of environmental authority. Feral-pigs are known to cause widespread damage to World Heritage values and the particular values within the Daintree Rainforest are more irreplaceable, per-unit area, than any other World Heritage property in the world. From the data collected within this long-term camera-trap project, cumulative monthly average feral-pig sightings exploded across July this year by 632% and more than tripled beyond the same month last year, with damage to the irreplaceable World Heritage values increasing proportionately.
So, who holds the highest level of environmental authority and are they appropriately alarmed? The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP was sworn in as Minister for the Environment and Water on 1 June 2022 and in a joint media release (23 June 2023): Coordination key to driving down impacts of feral animals – is quoted:
“Feral species like foxes, cats, deer and pigs do enormous damage to our native wildlife and precious places – they kill threatened species and damage critical habitat … The Albanese Labor Government is committed to protecting our precious species and leaving nature better off for our kids and grandkids – extending this program is just one way we’re working to achieve this.”
The Hon Julie Collins MP was sworn in as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 29 July 2024, succeeding the Hon Murray Watt, who is also quoted in the aforementioned media release:
“National management coordinators are bringing together stakeholders to increase adoption of best practice methods, improve control methods, address knowledge gaps, and consider First Nations communities and their expertise to maximise outcomes.”
55-months of monitoring cassowary, dingo & feral-pig sightings in the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest:
With cassowaries depicted blue (above), dingoes orange and feral-pigs grey, the recent proliferation of the latter is graphically reported, but what better clarification could be provided to the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, the Hon Julie Collins MP and Dr. Heather Channon, than an informative visit the world’s longest surviving rainforest in its current exploitation as prime feral-pig sanctuary.
Dingoes are feral-pig predators and deterrents …
Healthy adult male dingo …
Keeping up with the Cassowaries …
Crinkle-cut (above) with 8-weeks-old Aragorn, Legolas & Gimli
Manu & Delilah are now a mated pair
Daintree Rainforest Foundation Ltd has been registered by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and successfully entered onto the Register of Environmental Organisations. Donations made to the Daintree Rainforest Fund support the Daintree Rainforest community custodianship and are eligible for a tax deduction under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.