Foxes

Foxes threaten the survival of many Australian species, removing them at a landscape scale is the only way to manage populations.

Lets find out how...

The Issue

We've got foxes and think that's a problem...

The Challenge

How do you we know that foxes are killing wildlife and/or stock and how do we control them?

The Response

Step 1: Understand your fox problem
The most important step in identifying what the problem is, is to find where and what time it is occurring. A good place to start is monitoring your property. This will then give you a clear indication of how severe the problem is, when and where the foxes are hunting and what they're preying on. The three most common methods to monitoring are detailed below.

Wildlife Cameras

Setting up wildlife cameras for foxes is pretty simple as they tend to use the obvious tracks, just like us. Setting your camera up on a tree facing a path or a road will generally be the way to go. If you have the resources setting up multiple cameras every 500m along the track will give you a great indication of where they're hunting.

Sand Trapping

Spreading sand over a track or road from one side to the other approx 1m wide and 3-5cm thick is a tool for monitoring foxes through their paw print. Checking it every couple of days will give you a great indication of who is moving through the property. If you have the resources, setting up multiple traps every 500m could be an indication for there whereabouts or population numbers.

Examine dead animal carcasses

Where did the predator bite their prey? Foxes generally attack around the neck and muzzle area. They tend to eat the tongue and organs first and will rarely attack adult sheep, preferring lambs and smaller prey. The difference between a wild dog and fox killing could be narrowed down to the difference in puncture marks as a foxes jaw is much more slender and their teeth closer together.

Step 2: Setting the objectives
A good way to monitor how well your abatement program worked is to begin with specific measurables. These targets could involve the amount of foxes that are killed although a better objective is to measure the reduction in fox damage. This could be monitored by also recording the population of native species to determine if there is a correlation between the decrease of foxes. These objectives are also much more achievable if you take a "neighborhood approach" and involve the surrounding properties. 

Step 3: Develop a plan
Once the problem is defined and the objectives set, it's now time to plan. Plans will contain what needs to be done including the available techniques, approvals and certification required and legal constraints. It should include all parties involved and have a clear start and finish time for when the program will run. The options that a landholder chooses should be explored thoroughly as it will depend on what the property is used for and the local environment.

Step 4: What are your options
Choosing the correct strategy for your property should best suit your situation. Gaining as much assistance and advice as possible is the key to implementing a plan that all parties are comfortable with. Explore the options below. 

The Options

Shooting

If carried out correctly, shooting is considered the most humane way to eradicate foxes. It is usually done at night or when the cameras pick up movement most frequently and with the aid of a spotlight. It does not offer long-term or broad scale reductions so is best included as part of an integrated approach using a combination of methods such as trapping. Success will also depend on the shooters marksmanship.

Trapping

Trapping is useful in urban areas but could be considered too labour intensive on a broader scale. Steel jaw leg-hold traps are prohibited in Australia but the modified soft-jaw traps are allowed in some states. Cage traps are preferred as they cause fewer off-target injuries and are allowed in urban areas where shooting and poisoning is not.

Poisening

In NSW, baits can be purchased from licensed operators after completing the 'Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training' online through LLS. Popular techniques include buried baits and ejectors set up along tracks 200−500 m apart and 8−10 cm underground. For maximum success, baiting should be done twice a year with one round coinciding with Spring.

Fumigation

Den fumigation is used to destroy young fox. Once the natal den is located, carbon monoxide is put in and causes oxygen depletion leading to unconsciousness and rapid death. The gas is stored within a fumigant cartridge and purchased from Animal Control Technologies. Den fumigation may locally reduce foxes however, it is not a broad scale fox control method and could be costly. Once the den is located, a short period of camera monitoring capturing the entrance could be conducted to ensure no other native animals such as microbats are inhabiting the den.

Fencing

Fox exclusion fencing is a non-lethal method used to exclude foxes from protected areas and prevent predation on livestock. The method can be effective, however it is not absolute and can be very timely and expensive. There're a range of fence designs dependent to the species being protected or excluded, environment, budget, resources and maintenance requirements. Foxes can dig and climb so the structure of your fence must be carefully thought out with regular monitoring to ensure it is securely maintained.

Guard Animals

Guard animals most frequently used in Australia include dogs and Alpacas, rarely Llamas and Donkeys. The four most common dog breeds are Meremma, Great Pyrenean, Anatolian Shephard/Karabash and Central Asia Ovcharka.

Guard animals are not absolute and should be used as an integrated approach.

For more information on eradicating foxes read the

PestSmart - Glovebox Guide for Managing Foxes

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