The longevity of para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) wild dog baits and the implications for effective and safe baiting campaigns

Abstract

Considerable effort goes into mitigating the impacts caused by invasive animals and prohibiting their establishment or expansion. In Australia, management of wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo and their hybrids) and their devastating impacts is reliant upon poison baiting. The recent release of baits containing the humane toxin para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) offers potential improvements for control of wild dogs, but little is known about the environmental persistence of PAPP in manufactured baits that could be used to inform best practice guidelines. We investigated the degradation rate of PAPP wild dog baits (DOGABAIT™) under typical field usage and storage conditions in north-eastern Australia and calculated optimal deployment and withholding periods. The PAPP content of buried baits declines faster than surface-laid baits, but both presentations retained lethal doses to wild and domestic dogs for considerable periods (6–16 weeks). Domestic or working dogs should be suitably restrained or excluded from baited areas for extended periods, particularly under dry conditions, to minimise poisoning risk. The period of persistence of PAPP baits may provide opportunities to improve the duration or longer term efficacy of baiting campaigns, but care is needed to protect domestic and working dogs to ensure responsible and safe use.

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