Autumn fox baiting to start as numbers rise

After enjoying a long period of low fox numbers, their populations are now on the rise.

Fortunately, our autumn fox baiting campaign will begin in early March, and it’s the perfect opportunity for local landholders to get involved.

Controlling pests such as foxes and rabbits is more effective when groups of landholders participate across a wide area, and experience tells us that one of the best ways to tackle a pest animal problem is to make it a neighbourhood project.

And why is it so important? Foxes are major predators of poultry, native wildlife, lambs and goat kids and cause $227 million of damage nationally every year, including lower lambing percentages and production losses.

Reducing the fox population involves using a variety of control techniques including poison baiting, shooting, trapping, fencing and guard animals.

Some of these control techniques can’t always be used in the peri-urban area. This is because regulations limit the use of 1080 baits around homes, close to towns/villages and on small properties due to the risks posed, mainly to domestic dogs.

Before fox baits can be issued the land manager and a Local Land Services’ Biosecurity Officer must conduct a property risk assessment to check if the requirements in the 1080 Pesticide Control Order can be met.

If the assessment is positive you must be accredited with an AQF3 Chemical Accreditation or a Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training (VPIT) accreditation to obtain and use 1080 and pindone baits. Our free online VPIT course is available here.

Murray Local Land Services also have fox traps available for hire. Give your local Biosecurity Officer a call on 1300 795 299 to discuss what control options may be available to you.

Remember, biosecurity is a shared responsibility, and every land manager has an obligation to manage biosecurity risks on their land.