Domestic Sheep Predation - Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand

The main Australian predator of sheep is the dingo, which is a large-enough danger to sheep to precipitate the construction of the world's largest fence: the Dingo Fence. Red Foxes, also, may prey on 10-30% of lambs, costing Australians sheep breeders more than A$100 million annually.

Annual baiting programs are conducted to reduce the number of dingoes and foxes. Uncontrolled domestic dogs also regularly menace and kill sheep. Occasionally Wedge-tailed Eagles will kill young sheep up to and including hogget size sheep. In contrast, New Zealand has no remaining large carnivores. The only wild animal known to attack sheep in New Zealand is the rare, unusual kea parrot endemic to the country's South Island. Also, feral dogs have been a problem.

Prior to their extinction in Tasmania the Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), also called the Tasmanian tiger, was also a major predator of sheep.

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