Traditional Owners call for end to dingo culling

When the Victorian State Government extended the Unprotection Order on dingoes and wild dogs in the state’s east, the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) released a statement expressing deep concern over the decision. TLaWC claimed the Unprotection Order supports the proactive killing of yirrangan (dingo in Taungurung language) on Country, despite the animal being listed as a threatened and protected species in Victoria. They called for the state government to enable culturally informed, Traditional Owner–led management of dingoes on Country, though they stopped short of outlining what that would involve. The council decried the fact that dingoes and the Taungurung people coexisted harmoniously for millennia until European settlement, after which both were displaced from Country. They said dingoes were rebranded as 'wild dogs'—in contrast to genetic evidence—and subjected to lethal management under colonial frameworks, much like the Traditional Owners themselves. Genetic analysis, the council said, shows that dingo populations are on the path to extinction. By extending the Unprotection Order, they argue, the Victorian Government is actively supporting the local extinction of a culturally significant and ecologically vital species. TLaWC stated that immediate action is required to reverse the extinction trajectory of dingoes. They called for an end to lethal control measures, citing the animal’s role in maintaining ecosystem balance and its cultural significance to the Taungurung people. Matthew Shanks, Executive Manager – Biocultural Landscapes at TLaWC, said dingoes, as apex predators, are vital in supporting the health of Country by regulating invasive mammal populations. “TLaWC is deeply concerned by the extension of the Dingo Unprotection Order that supports the proactive killing of yirrangan (dingo) on Country,” he said. “Yirrangan are vital to the health and future of Taungurung Country. “The extended Unprotection Order disregards Taungurung lore and our obligations as Taungurung people to care for Country, for the benefit of all people. “TLaWC advocates for yirrangan due to their ability to maintain balance on Country, providing management of other plant and animal species.”

Traditional Owners call for end to dingo culling

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