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Who Kept the Dogs Out
“But keeping the dogs out may not be a net positive. Dingoes don’t just eat sheep — they also eat kangaroo. And the kangaroo population within the fenced-protected area is much, much higher than on the dingo-friendly side. Kangaroo eat all sorts of vegetation and, according to a 2017 study, their grazing has therefore gone unchecked, leading to a higher-than-expected loss in vegetation. That, in turn, caused a problem for the area’s farmland. As Smithsonian explains, “researchers found lower levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon in the soil where kangaroos roamed in great numbers compared to areas where dingoes were common.” So it’s possible that the ranchers’ win has become the farmers’ loss, and that’s just the tip of its ecological impact.”
Dan Lewis
My Thoughts
Beware the law of unintended consequences.