The great de-bait: are manufactured toxic baits a suitable alternative for the control of introduced canids?

Wild dogs (including dingoes, modern dogs and their hybrids; Canis familiaris) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are significant environmental and agricultural pests in many parts of Australia. A concerted effort to reduce canid abundance was declared in the early 1900s and ultimately drove the rapid development of new baiting products, best-practice guidelines and improved management. Here, we discuss the evolution of canid management and the current interest by some to use manufactured baits to control canids within production and conservation landscapes. We describe several knowledge gaps surrounding the use of manufactured baits, including questions around aerial baiting efficacy, non-target impacts and the matrix viability. We also propose key research questions that will need to be addressed for us to fully understand the management applications and implications of manufactured baits in effective and integrated management practices.