A GROUP of Queensland scientists is spending nights camping out surrounded by the decaying bodies of dead feral animals, all in the name of better disease control.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the scientists are monitoring sensitive equipment attached to the carcases.
"This may look like some crazy science experiment but it's actually important work known as the Destroy and Let Lie project," Mr Mulherin said.
"We want to know if the natural decomposition of dead animals kills off disease viruses in the carcase if the body is left where it falls. This is important to know. For example, a foot and mouth disease outbreak could cost an estimated $8 billion."
"If it occurred in Queensland's remote outback, feral pigs, goats, buffalo and wild cattle would be potential reservoirs of the disease.
"There would be bodies of feral animals killed by the disease. In addition, we would have to cull as many feral animals as possible to stop the disease spreading.
"If we then had to bury, burn or transport the bodies of dead animals as part of a disease control program, it would be a logistical nightmare.
"If, as we suspect, we're better off leaving animals where they die, or are destroyed, it will make our task so much easier without compromising control of the disease," Mr Mulherin said.
Biosecurity Queensland's senior veterinary officer Dr Greg Williamson said: "If introduced diseases become established and spread, that's a real threat to live-stock industries, native wildlife, and potentially people," he said.
"This is why we want to confirm the best method for treating feral animal carcases that may contain disease virus."
Dr Williamson said the research was not being conducted using any real viruses or disease conditions.
The work involved assessment of the conditions in the carcases to determine whether any virus, if present, would be destroyed or remain contagious.
He said early results from the Destroy and Let Lie technique were encouraging.
"My team and I have been conducting hands-on research by camping out and studying what happens with animal carcases," he said.
"When feral animal control programs are undertaken in Queensland's remote national parks, this is a perfect opportunity for us to see what happens first hand.
"We study the bodies in the hours after death and test to confirm that decomposition would in fact kill any remaining virus.
"We do this by placing sensitive probes into the carcases to measure temperature and pH (acid levels) changes in the 24 hours after death.
"It's early days, but we're already seeing some trends.
"We've confirmed that if animals are destroyed earlier in the day, the pH levels drop sufficiently to deactivate foot and mouth disease if it were present.
"Getting sensitive scientific monitoring equipment to these remote areas is often difficult enough, but the real challenge is camping beside the carcases to monitor the changes over time."
While Dr Williamson's camping ground can seem like a gothic nightmare, the results will contribute to better emergency animal disease response procedures that could save entire communities and industries from the spread of exotic disease.
Email a friend