"Dear koala lovers throughout the se QLD bio region,, my name is Adam O’Neill, I have authored a book, co-authored several peer reviewed scientific publications and was recipient of the 2013 Eureka prise scientific award. After several years away I have returned home to se QLD to find an appalling state of affairs. It would appear that unbeknown to all, The recent and rapid decline in koalas is a direct result of a change in government policy back in 2002. I urge you all to read this through to it’s entirety and absorb it with open minds. You and fellow koala advocates are probably the koalas only hope of turning this situation around. This is not due to urban expansion or deforestation as I’m sure you are all aware, from what I can ascertain no one has a clue of the cause and even less of an idea for remedial action. It is an extremely difficult situation to turn around as it’s rapidly reaching a point of no return. The implications of this situation are dire, the koala declines are indicative of numerous other species that are also in decline of which we are currently unaware. The problem here is a case of severe eco-system malfunction as a result of initiatives set in train by the Bettie government 12 years ago.. The driving force is the poison 1080, which is being distributed through the environment at ever increasing rates. I have studied the implications of 1080 use for several years and once in use higher doses are required to combat the eruptions that invariably follow. 1080 is like a cancer creeping across the landscape. For those of you that were here, think back pre 2002, 1080 was unheard of and every council depot had a dog catcher dealing with domestic complaints. We now have a situation where every council in se QLD has its own wild dog control department, multiple staffed with an arsenal of poison and weaponry. Looking through a brief history of media release the wild dog situation is progressively getting worse. They have created a monster that they can’t control and in spite of a concerted effort at considerable cost there is no resolution in sight. The initial baiting campaign was triggered by the Fraser Island incident, the death of the young lad, Clinton Gage. I have spent the last ten years researching the ecological function of dingoes, empirical studies involve multiple treatments so I have experienced dingoes in both stable and unstable situations. The ecological function of dingoes is highly dependent on stable social structures, this aspect of their biology is key in providing essential eco-system services. In stable situations dingoes are largely, unseen and unheard, just out there doing their job, as it was in numerous koala habitats not so long ago. The fundamental characteristic that defines top predators is their ability to self regulate, with dingoes this is achieved through infanticide, hierarchal dominance and territorial behaviour. In stable situations dingoes exist in extremely low densities and as top predators are key in maintaining ecological balance. As a result of the recurring baiting programs throughout se QLD dingoes have been transformed into an entirely different animal, there are several key elements to consider here that are impacting koala communities. 1 ( Hyper-predation ) Hyper-predation is a commonly observed but little understood phenomenon that is common to both domestic and wild large canid’s. Some of you will have heard story’s of dingoes killing 200 sheep in one night, that is hyper-predation. It is a natural instinctive behaviour that is curbed by education from piers and hierarchal dominance. I have observed this on numerous occasions and is typical in unstable situations where baiting programs prevail, mass killings and leaving the carcases to rot. 2 (super-abundance) Dingoes become Super-abundant as a result of baiting campaigns, natural population suppressants are lost as a result of social unrest. In socially stable situations dingoes live in packs of up to ten individuals, only the dominant alpha pair breed and produce one litter per year. Each pack claims a large territory which is vigorously defended against other dingoes and meso-predatores (cats, foxes etc.) In unstable situations every bitch in the population will conceive and raise pups, generally only pups themselves the mothers have no family support and her pups disperse at a very young age. These pups become the next generation that will also breed at first oestrus and the cycle will continue in perpetuity under the current baiting regimes. 3 (Hybridization) Studies on wild canid’s in the US have demonstrated that hybridization is driven by predator persecution. This is also true for dingoes here in Australia, and again genetic integrity of dingo communities is highly dependent on them maintaining stable social structures. It is essential for dingoes to maintain strong cohesive groups to defend territories against wandering intruders. In stable situations dingoes will chase off or kill any domestic that comes within their territorial range. As a result of baiting, hierarchal structures are dismantled leaving young uneducated dingoes to disperse in search of any dog to develop social ties. Once hybridized they then have the capacity to produce multiple litters each year, adding weight to abundance and elevated pressures of predation. 4 (meso-predator release) Meso-predator release, is a term used to describe a process whereby large predators are adversely effected causing eruptions of smaller predators. This is also evident with increases in cats and foxes throughout the south east Queensland bio-region. A review of recent Media releases also indicate a growing population of pigs and other herbivorous prey species. 5 (disease) A recent publication in the journal “Science” by a group of very prominent American scientists describes the incredibly far reaching effects of top down forcing (top predators). When top predators are removed from ecosystems, perturbations cascade through numerous trophic levels to the extent of effecting bacteria in the soil at one end of the scale to elements in the atmosphere at the other. A very interesting and complex investigation and what this boils down to in simple terms are extremely unhealthy ecosystems. SE QLD has historically escaped the consequences of 1080 baiting programs primarily because of the limited pastoral activity. We have retained some of the most pristine forests on the continent that have been functioning in accordance with natural law. Premier Beattie’s (qdog) 2002 initiative has started a very destructive chain reaction that is still in an accelerating stage, google’ing wild dog control in any shire council will illustrate the current situation. Understanding the threat is the first step onto the road of recovery, I urge all koala advocates and groups to investigate past and present events in their own local shire. Historical records of baiting programs are available at local council offices, obtaining records from 99 to present will give a broad perspective to correlate trends in decline. I am happy to forward any relevant publications to support the fact sheet above, reply; adam.oneill@bigpond.com Ph 0741869200 Kind regards Adam Primary threatening process; - Queensland Dog Offensive Group (QDOG) 2002 strategy"