Locals urged to comment on new fox control strategy to protect vulnerable wildlife
A review of the Federal Government's ageing national strategy on feral foxes could prove to be a boon for local conservation efforts across Bass Coast and South Gippsland.
LOCAL conservation efforts across the Bass Coast and South Gippsland could receive a major boost with the Federal Government overhauling its national strategy to tackle feral foxes for the first time in 18 years.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is currently seeking community feedback on its new draft Threat Abatement Plan for predation by the European red fox.
Designed to establish a coordinated national framework, the plan has identified critical research, management strategies, and actions that all levels of government and local stakeholders can take to protect vulnerable native species.
Feral foxes remain one of Australia’s most destructive introduced predators, posing a severe threat to the region’s iconic native fauna including the ground-nesting hooded plover on the Bass Coast and the diverse wildlife throughout South Gippsland.
"Fox control has come a long way since the current national plan was written in 2008," said Invasive Species Council Rewilding Manager Rob Brewster noting that the draft strategy is a vital opportunity to ensure Australia’s management approach reflects nearly two decades of conservation work that has shown that native populations successfully bounce back when fox pressure is removed.
Local residents, farmers, and environmental groups across the region are encouraged to review the draft policy and submit their feedback to help shape the final strategy.
According to Mr Brewster the draft strategy is an important opportunity to ensure Australia’s approach to fox control reflected nearly two decades of advances in conservation science and invasive species management.
“Australia’s current national fox strategy was written 18 years ago. Since then, our understanding of the devastating impact foxes are having on Australian wildlife has grown enormously,” said Mr Brewster.
“Foxes have helped drive native animals to extinction and continue to prey on threatened mammals, birds and reptiles across huge areas of the country.
“For animals like bandicoots, bettongs and many ground-dwelling birds, controlling foxes can be the difference between populations recovering or disappearing altogether.
“It is good to finally see a new national strategy on the table, but the final plan needs to be ambitious and backed by the funding needed to deliver real action on the ground.”
“Across Australia, conservation programs have shown that when foxes and other introduced predators are removed or effectively controlled, threatened native animals can recover.”
DCCEEW claims that feral foxes have contributed to the extinction of at least 20 Australian mammal species and are, to varying degrees, responsible for the imperilment and ongoing decline of many more species.
“This threat abatement plan sets a long-term goal with a 30-year horizon to reduce the impacts of foxes sufficiently to secure the long-term viability of all affected native species,” DEECA stated.
The draft Threat Abatement Plan for predation by European red foxes is currently open for public consultation through the DCCEEW consultation hub at consult.dcceew.gov.au/fox-threat-abatement-plan-2026
