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KEEPING UP WITH THE CAMELIDS

Oct 11, 2022DCF, News, Trial

In August 2022, we fitted our camel herd with GPS ear tags to track their movements within a paddock of prickles.

This is a transfer of knowledge from our on-farm technology program and ground-based monitoring, giving you a look at this technology in action.

The animation represents the first 41 days of movements, compiled from GPS signals that come in every 4hrs. In time, we’ll be able to create a ‘heat map’ of activity, which will add to our on-ground monitoring.

When all the information is combined, we will be able to better draw conclusions about the impacts of camels on weed suppression, weed seed reduction and pasture consumption.

While we expect this information to quantify the long list of observations from landholders and our own staff, the data is already showing up “curveballs” that need to be explained.

This becomes important as we develop strategies with landholders to further accelerate control of the 20 million hectares within the Desert Channels region, currently impacted by Prickly Acacia.

Knowing the camelids

You’ll see that we’ve colour-coded some of the camel dots – black, for example, is Scruffy the bull.

Scruffy has done a marvelous job of aiding population growth, and you can see he does a lot of chasing and not a lot of leading.

You’ll also notice that a couple of the dots have stopped moving – but rest-assured, our camels are alive and well.

Unfortunately, in this situation, these ear tags have come loose and fallen out. We’re currently discussing the issue with the manufacturers.

We’ll provide updates as we learn more from this data with the final report to be presented in April of next year.

UPDATE: Some early results from this trial can be found here.

This work has been funded by the DCQ Foundation, investing to grow science and knowledge in the region.

Night parrot listed as ‘critically endangered’ as monitoring underway

An elusive, rare parrot in the Desert Channels region that was once thought to be extinct.

Free water quality testing of bores, springs in Western Queensland

Over the next 12 months, DCQ can test your bore or spring water quality at no cost.

Photos: Fast-moving bushfires a ‘real possibility’ in Western Qld this season

The Qld Rural Fire Service is concerned fires will be more dangerous than usual.

More funding to cap and pipe bores announced for Queensland

Up to 90% of your estimated eligible project costs could be covered. 

Emu chicks hatch and reveal ‘extraordinary’ role of emu dads

A rare moment caught on camera – emu chicks hatch in Western Queensland.

HEAT

An environmental project focused on high value areas, properties that surround National Parks, or refugia that support crucial species migration in a changing climate.

Feral Pigs

Feral pigs devastate environmental, livestock and natural resources, and only a targeted and coordinated control effort will keep numbers down for good.

Springs

Lying beneath parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales, the Great Artesian Basin, (GAB) is Australia’s largest groundwater basin and one of the largest underground freshwater resources in the world.

Invasive Cactus

Cactus weeds have become more aggressive in our region due to climate shifts, drought and rainfall variability.

Watertight

The Queensland Government has established the WaterTight program to be carried out by the Natural Resource Management groups

THORNVILLE QUANDARY

When pastures don’t return as expected.

IS DIESEL BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST?

The increased cost of diesel, along with its health and environmental issues, has opened the door for a new kind of herbicide.

SEEDY BUSINESS

Sometimes, even mother nature needs a hand. Having perfected Prickly Acacia control, we have begun seeding work to “turbo charge” pasture recovery.

SUCCESS IN THE MAKING

With the summer rain, plants are now leaping out of the ground.

THE TECH SAVY DESERT RAT

iPads are not just toys for us. They’ve become critical tools in recording our data and helping us to refine our mapping.