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Oliver Berry_fox kit

Fox DNA test kit

Fox_night_Steve L_cropped web

Fox, courtesy of Steve Lapidge



10.U.3 Supporting the eradication of foxes in Tasmania

Background

The fox in Tasmania poses the most dramatic new threat to livestock agriculture and Tasmania's unique assemblage of mammalian wildlife for over a century.  Since the illegal release of foxes into Tasmania in 2000, a number of carcasses have been located and around 1000 fox sightings of varying quality reported.    The Tasmanian Fox Eradication Program set up a hotline (1300 369 688) and in the period from mid June to October 2007, 62 sightings were reported - of these, 19 were graded as 'excellent'.

The primary problem in mounting an effective eradication campaign is that the low density of foxes in the state makes the identification of fox populations difficult and renders the comprehensive targeting of eradication measures virtually impossible.    The Tasmanian government is nevertheless working hard with a new baiting program - more than 200,000 ha has been baited to date.  Because of the sensitive nature of Tasmania's environment and wildlife, baits not taken quickly by foxes are retrieved - a time-consuming but necessary task. 

Our project aims to provide the link between fox presence and control by undertaking a comprehensive survey of predator scats in Tasmania and using a PCR species identification test to identify scats that contain fox DNA.  Scats identified as originating from foxes, will serve as a trigger for fox control measures and increased surveillance in the surrounding area.  Selected local groups will be trained in the identification and collection of predator scats and these groups will then be coordinated in a systematic collection across Tasmania.

Using this approach will broaden the scope and precision of the fox eradication program in Tasmania.  In addition, additional information on the distribution of Tasmania's other five top carnivores including wild dogs and cats will be collected.

Goals 

  1. Development of accurate DNA test for large carnivores
  2. Provision of a link between fox presence and control, by surveying scats
  3. Collection of information on distribution of five other top carnivores, including wild dogs and cats.

Progress 

Blood samples from a chicken coop at Old Beach (near Hobart), a blood stain on a road where a fox road-kill had been found (but moved) and six predator scats have been positively identified as containing fox DNA. 1597 scats have also been screened for fox DNA including 601 since May 2006. Six more scats were identified as fox in March 2008.

Five positive scat samples and the fox road-kill were clustered in a single region in the Northern Midlands and represent strong evidence for a hotspot of fox activity. The blood sample from the chicken coop represents the first hard evidence of fox activity near Hobart and implies that the range of foxes in Tasmania may encompass most of the northern, midland and southeast regions. That finding was one of the two main items of evidence cited in support of the substantial increase in funding to the Fox Eradication Program announced by the Tasmanian Government in November 2006.

Three scat detection Labradors have now been trained and are working in the field.  These dogs are used to follow up 'excellent' sightings and other areas considered to be potential fox locations. 

Phase 1 of 'The Great Poo Hunt', a strategic survey of carnivore scats across the state, is being undertaken during Autumn 2008.

Download the June 2007 issue of Uptake Update newsletter no. 3 or read the  Fox DNA project supplement (at right) for more information. 

Project collaborators:

Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water - Fox Eradication Branch


University of Canberra


University of Western Australia

 

Project Leader

Stephen Sarre_headshot

Project leader: Assoc. Prof Stephen Sarre, University of Canberra




Contacts

Alison Foster
Fox Monitoring Program Project Officer
Department of Primary Industries and Water
Tel: 03 6336 5348

Fax: 03 6336 5453

Resource Management and Conservation
Kings Meadows, Tas 7250


Associate Professor Stephen Sarre
University of Canberra
Tel: (02) 6201-5657

Fax: (02) 6201-5305

Institute for Applied Ecology
University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601


Documents

Feral fox factsheet-print resolution
[pdf 1.2 Mb]


Fox DNA news no.2
[pdf 392.4 kb]


Fox DNA Newsletter no. 1
[pdf 581.8 kb]


Fox supplement-DNA project
[pdf 271.3 kb]


Foxes in Tasmania report
[pdf 1.0 Mb]


Media release-cooperation to fix the feral fox
A WA researcher seeks fox DNA for ambitious fox genetic map project [doc 60.5 kb]


Uptake Update 3
[pdf 619.8 kb]


urbanfox
Urban Fox pdf [pdf 97.8 kb]