A groundbreaking three-year trial near Roxby Downs, South Australia is enlisting dingoes to turn feral cats and foxes from predators of native fauna to the hunted.
Katherine Moseby, Arid Recovery research scientist, says three dingos will be released into a newly-fenced, 37 square kilometre pen with a resident feral cat and fox population.
"Most of our threatened species in this region are under threat from predation by feral predators, especially cats," Ms Moseby said.
"There is anecdotal evidence suggesting that top order predators, such as dingos, may be able to suppress cats and foxes and help with threatened species management.
"The pen is finished so the next step is to fit the cats and foxes inside the pen with global positioning system (GPS) radio collars.
"We will then release a pack of three dingoes wearing satellite collars and monitor the changes in behaviour and abundance of the cats and foxes."
Ms Moseby says there is interest from the environmental science community in the potential role of dingos in threatened species management, but that this is the first field trial.
Researchers expect to find about 10 cats and several foxes living inside the pen as Australia-wide feral cat populations are estimated to be around one cat per square kilometre.
The project has secured more than $150,000 of Natural Heritage Trust funding via the South Australian Arid Lands NRM Board and $80,000 from BHP Billiton.
This funding has been invested in a research officer position and fencing materials.
High quality OneSteel Waratah fencing materials have been used to secure the area after several experiments in fence design and disappointing trials with lesser quality imported fencing supplies.
Ms Moseby says about 60pc of native mammal species have been lost in the Roxby Downs region during the last century.
"About half of the locally extinct species are now globally extinct, including the desert bandicoot, lesser bilby, lesser stick-nest rat and goulds mouse," Ms Moseby said.
Four locally-extinct species have already been reintroduced into parts of the Arid Recovery Reserve, including the greater bilby, burrowing bettong, greater stick-nest rat and the western barred bandicoot.
"If the project is successful we may be able release these threatened species outside the reserve into areas where dingos are present.
"The first question is whether the dingos can control feral animals and the next question is whether we can safely reintroduce threatened species, as we believe the dingo may prefer larger prey like kangaroos."