DAMAGED sections of the Dog Fence are again dog-proof following extensive storms and floods earlier this year.
Significant damage to the fence occurred between Coober Pedy and the Flinders Ranges during weather events in January - with a total of 40 floodways, stretching over 25km of the fence, damaged beyond repair.
Once the the roads dried out, Dog Fence board members, landowners and station employees and fencing contractors worked to repair the damage.
More than 33,000 baits were dropped around the fence as part of the emergency response to the floods, as an additional protection measure against wild dog incursions while the fence was damaged.
The baits were deployed by a local charter operator.
Dog Fence Board chair and pastoralist Geoff Power said landowners, contractors, government representatives and Dog Fence Board members and employees had gone above and beyond to ensure the fence was again protecting livestock.
"Reassuringly, the areas of the Dog Fence already rebuilt have so far withstood the storms and floods, as it has been built to endure harsher weather events," he said.
"This shows how important the efforts to rebuild the Dog Fence in SA are."
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Further heavy thunderstorms hit in late April, causing damage in the Northern Flinders Ranges and Coober Pedy areas.
Early assessments show damage was confined to creeks temporarily repaired after the January floods with repair work now underway.
This is in conjunction with the $25 million project to rebuild the fence.
As of last week, more than 400km of the Dog Fence had been rebuilt through the project with a further 470km under construction.
The rebuilt Dog Fence has been designed to withstand more extreme weather events.
Sections rebuilt across creeks and floodways now include 'sacrificial' sections that wash away in flood waters to avoid damaging surrounding areas of the Dog Fence.
In 2019, about two-thirds or 1600 km of the fence was more than 100 years old.
Many sections were degraded by kangaroos, emus, feral camels, wild dogs, weather events and sand erosion.
South of the fence, control efforts also include baiting, shooting through the SA bounty scheme, and humane trapping.
The tender for the state's wild dog trapping program is also open, with expressions of interest accepted until June 2.