Lexi Webster
The red fox, native to the northern hemisphere, was introduced to Australia in the 1800s. It is now widespread throughout most of mainland Australia, found in all mainland states and territories. Foxes are a highly destructive invasive species, posing a significant threat to livestock and native wildlife. They are opportunistic predators and will eat a wide variety of foods, including small to medium-sized mammals, rodents, and carrion. The size of foxes can vary, with males typically weighing between 4 to 8 kg and females between 4 to 6 kg.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Foxes in Australia | 7.2 million in 2012, 1.7 million currently |
| Weight | Males: 4-8 kg, Females: 4-6 kg |
| Length | 45-90 cm |
| Tail Length | 30-55 cm |
| Diet | Small to medium-sized mammals, rodents, carrion, lambs, piglets, chickens, house mice, rabbits, birds, reptiles, marsupials |
| Breeding Season | June-July |
| Gestation Period | 51-53 days |
| Average Litter Size | 4-10 pups |
| Lifespan | Less than 4 years |
| Habitat | Suburban areas, large cities, regional areas, alpine heaths, rainforests, coasts, deserts, urban environments |
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What You'll Learn
Red foxes are the only fox species in Australia
Red foxes are the only fox species found in Australia. They were introduced to the country from England in the 1800s for hunting purposes. Within 30 years, they became an invasive pest species. Today, they are widespread throughout most of mainland Australia, except for some parts of northern Queensland, the Kimberley, and the Top End of the Northern Territory. Foxes are also found in Tasmania, although they were not established there until the late 1990s or early 2000s.
Red foxes have had a devastating impact on native wildlife in Australia. They have been directly implicated in the extinction and decline of several native species, including the desert rat-kangaroo and several endemic terrestrial marsupials, such as the brush-tailed bettong, the Greater bilby, and the quokka. Foxes threaten at least 14 species of birds, 48 mammal species, 12 reptile species, and two amphibian species. They also prey on small and young animals, lambs, poultry, and livestock, and can spread diseases to domestic animals. The economic impact of foxes in Australia is estimated to be $227.5 million per year.
Foxes are highly adaptive and can be found in both regional and urban areas, with their highest densities in places where resources are most abundant. They are usually reddish-brown above with a whitish/grey chin, chest, and belly, and they have a narrow chest, long legs, and large ears. They are also excellent climbers and burrowers, with long, high-set, semi-retractable claws. While their size can vary, males typically weigh 4 to 8 kg, while females weigh 4 to 6 kg.
Managing fox populations in Australia is challenging. Fox hunting is legal in all states, and control methods include shooting, trapping, fencing, baiting, and using livestock guardian dogs, combined with land management. However, eradication can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive, and the reintroduction of competitive species, such as dingoes or Tasmanian devils, has been suggested as a more effective method of control.
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Males weigh around 4-8 kg, females 4-6 kg
The red fox is the only species of fox found in Australia. While their size can vary, males typically weigh between 4 and 8 kg, and females between 4 and 6 kg. The European red fox was introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s for hunting purposes and quickly spread across the country. Today, foxes are found in all mainland states and territories, except Tasmania. They are a highly destructive invasive species and pose a significant threat to livestock and native wildlife. Foxes are opportunistic predators and will eat a wide variety of foods, including small to medium-sized mammals, rodents, and carrion. They are mainly nocturnal hunters, being most active from dusk until dawn.
Foxes have a devastating impact on native wildlife across Australia, threatening 14 species of bird, 48 mammal species, and 12 reptile species. They have also been directly implicated in the extinction or decline of several native Australian species, including the family Potoroidae, which includes the desert rat-kangaroo. Foxes are known to prey on lambs and kids, inflicting significant impact on the sheep and goat industries. They also occasionally damage irrigation systems and horticultural crops.
Foxes are highly adaptive and can be found in both regional and urban areas, with their highest densities found where resources are most abundant. They have achieved niche differentiation with feral dogs and cats, primarily through their burrowing behaviour. Foxes have long, high-set, semi-retractable claws, making them excellent climbers and burrowers. They are also able to dig and climb, which can make them difficult to exclude through fencing.
Eradicating foxes can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive, and their presence may even have some benefits, such as suppressing the number of rodents, rabbits, and feral cats in Australia. The focus is therefore on management rather than eradication, with control methods including shooting, trapping, fencing, baiting, and livestock guardian dogs, combined with land management. There are two poisons that can be legally used for fox control: 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) and PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone).
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They are widespread across Australia, except in the far north and Tasmania
Foxes are widespread throughout most of mainland Australia, except in the tropical far north of Queensland, the Kimberley, and the Top End of the Northern Territory. Foxes are also absent from the island of Tasmania, although there have been some disputed sightings and reports of the animal on the island.
Foxes were introduced to Australia from England in the mid-1800s for hunting purposes. Within 100 years, foxes had reached their current distribution on the Australian mainland. Today, foxes occur over 75% of Australia, and their range is strongly linked with that of rabbits, another invasive species. Foxes are found in all mainland states and territories.
Tasmania is estimated to have the capacity to support a population of up to 300,000 foxes. However, prior to 2010, a permanent fox population was not established on the island, and it is believed that foxes were outcompeted by the Tasmanian devil and the now-extinct thylacine (Dasyuridae). In the 2000s, a targeted baiting campaign was conducted by the fox task force to eliminate foxes from Tasmania, but no evidence of foxes was found, and the program ended in 2013.
Since 2010, there have been some disputed reports of foxes in Tasmania. In 2015, a study indicated that if foxes had ever been in Tasmania, they were extinct by that time. Some people claim that fox introductions to Tasmania are a hoax, and there have been instances of hoax fox carcasses and faeces. However, the Tasmanian government maintains that red foxes were introduced to the island in 1999 or 2000, posing a significant threat to native wildlife.
In summary, foxes are widespread across mainland Australia, except in the far north and Tasmania. While there have been some disputed sightings and reports of foxes in Tasmania, the animal has not established a permanent population on the island, and eradication programs have been conducted to prevent their spread.
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Foxes are invasive, threatening native species and agriculture
The European red fox, native to the northern hemisphere, was introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s for hunting purposes. Within just 30 years, it had become an invasive pest species, and today, it is widespread throughout most of mainland Australia. Foxes are highly destructive and pose a significant threat to agriculture, the livestock industry, and native wildlife.
Red foxes are opportunistic predators and highly adaptive, thriving in both regional and urban areas. They are characterised by their big ears, bushy tails, and reddish-brown coats with whitish/grey chins, chests, and bellies. Their long legs and semi-retractable claws make them excellent climbers and burrowers, enabling them to access arboreal creatures such as birds and baby koalas.
In Australia, red foxes are currently threatening 14 species of birds, 48 mammal species, and 12 reptile species. They prey on small to medium-sized mammals, rodents, and carrion, and any animal up to 5.5 kg is at risk of becoming their victim. This includes lambs and kids, causing significant damage to the sheep and goat industries. Foxes also occasionally damage irrigation systems and horticultural crops.
Foxes are a potential biosecurity risk as they may spread diseases like rabies if it were to enter the country. Their economic impact is estimated at $227.5 million per year. Control methods include shooting, trapping, fencing, baiting, and using livestock guardian dogs, combined with land management strategies. Baiting, in particular, is a cost-effective method that uses toxins like 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) and PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone) to manage fox populations over large areas.
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They are difficult to eradicate, but control methods are improving
The European red fox was introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s for hunting purposes. Within 30 years, it had become an invasive pest species. Foxes have since wreaked havoc on the country's native wildlife, threatening 14 species of birds, 48 mammal species, and 12 reptile species. They are also a biosecurity risk, potentially spreading diseases like rabies. The economic impact of foxes is estimated at $227.5 million per year.
Eradicating foxes is challenging due to their denning behaviour and nocturnal hunting habits. They are also highly adaptive, thriving in both regional and urban areas. Foxes have large home ranges and can travel up to 15 kilometres in a single night in search of food. They breed once a year, typically producing three to five cubs per litter.
However, control methods are constantly improving. Under the CaLP Act, landowners are responsible for taking all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of and eradicate foxes from their land. Fox hunting is legal in all states, and control methods include shooting, trapping, fencing, and baiting. Poison baits, containing 1080 poison or PAPP, are commonly used and regulated under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019. Canid Pest Ejectors, spring-loaded toxin delivery devices, are also effective tools in managing fox populations.
Fencing can be an effective deterrent, but it must be well-maintained due to foxes' agility and ability to squeeze through small holes. Electric fencing, in particular, can prevent foxes from going under or over fences. Guard dogs, such as maremmas, and alpacas are also used to protect livestock from foxes. While challenging, strategic and coordinated programs across multiple land holdings are the most efficient way to reduce fox populations.
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Frequently asked questions
The European red fox, the only fox species found in Australia, is a canid species with a body length of 45–90 cm and a bushy tail that is 30–55 cm long. Males weigh around 4 to 8 kg, while females weigh around 4 to 6 kg.
It is estimated that there are around 1.7 million foxes in Australia, spread across 80% of the mainland and 50 Australian islands. They are largely absent from tropical northern Australia and Tasmania.
Foxes are considered invasive pests in Australia and pose a significant threat to native wildlife and agriculture. They have been implicated in the extinction or decline of several native Australian species and are known to prey on small to medium-sized mammals, rodents, birds, reptiles, and livestock. Foxes are also a potential biosecurity risk as they may spread diseases.
