How is the Government dealing with European Red Foxes?

Answer 1

'Predation by the European red fox' is listed as a key threatening process under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). Under the EPBC Act, the Australian Government, in consultation with the states and territories, has developed the Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by the European Red Fox.

The threat abatement plan aims to reduce the impact of predation by foxes by:

• Preventing foxes occupying new areas in Australia and eradicating foxes from high-conservation-value islands.
• Promoting the maintenance and recovery of native species and ecological communities that area affected by fox predation.
• Improving knowledge and understanding of fox impacts and interactions with other species and other ecological processes.
• Improving the effectiveness, target specificity, integration and humaneness of control options for foxes.
• Increasing awareness of all stakeholders of the objectives and actions of the threat abatement plan, and of the need to control and manage foxes.

Fox control programs need to be coordinated with other activities that may be taking place, including the on-ground protection of threatened plants and animals, and control of other invasive species such as feral rabbits and feral cats. The plan provides a framework that enables the best use of the resources available for fox management. The Australian Government works with the states and territories to deal with this national problem.