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Dingo scent scares off marsupials

dingo head

The odour of a dingo could be a more humane way to scare off native wildlife (Source: iStockphoto)


In a series of field studies conducted over the past two years in Western Australia and Tasmania, Dr Michael Parsons and his colleagues from Curtin University, have seen animals react to the scent with caution and fear.

They hope that the repellent could allow loggers, farmers and even gardeners to reduce their reliance on poison baits or shooting to prevent the marsupials damaging reforestation zones or other sensitive areas.

In a recent three-day study in Tasmania, they used a gel containing fresh dingo urine in front of a feeding station that animals had been visiting.

Before the treatment, an average of 28 wallabies and 47 possums were present each night.

"This dropped to six and nine animals respectively per night through the duration of the trial," Parsons says. "We're 99% sure they're associating it with a predator."

An earlier test at a private home had shown that urine gels stopped kangaroos from entering a rose garden for 31 days.

More than an odour

Dingo urine has a disgusting odour, the researcher says.

"It's like nothing I've ever smelt before. It's a rank, putrid, heavy smell. But interestingly it's not exactly the smell that deters animals," Parsons says.

It seems that the animals are reacting to pheromone-like chemicals in the urine, which are sensed through a part of the nose called the vomeronasal organ.

The researchers are currently using real dingo urine for their studies, but are now working with colleagues at The Chemistry Centre WA on synthesising artificial versions using techniques pioneered by the perfume industry.

"But with dingo urine it's a little bit different," Dr Parsons noted. "Because we're targeting animals and they're more discriminating when it comes to scent."

Using a technique known as gas chromatography mass spectroscopy, the researchers have identified 200 key chemicals in fresh dingo urine.

The aim now is to produce an effective repellent as cheaply as possible using a combination of those chemicals, Dr Parsons said.

"Over the next few years we're going to be trying many different solutions," he said.

Tags: forests, forestry, animals, mammals, marsupials