Transcript by David Obendorf
Residents of Hobart’s Eastern Shore are angry at a fox baiting program aimed at a highly populated suburb. Nicole Price reports:
By the end of the week the Department of Primary Industries will begin laying 1080 poison in Tranmere. Two private properties between Oceana Drive and Tranmere Road have been identified as ‘prime fox habitat’ even though there have been no sightings. Resident Joan Yaxley is outraged.
Joan Yaxley: “We’ve chasing a fox that’s never been seen. I just think it’s a total waste of money by this Government.”
Craig Elliott from the invasive Species Branch says the baiting program is necessary.
Craig Elliott: “It actually gets some certainty into the eradication program. We need to attack it in this way”.
The bait will be laid over the next two weeks.
Unease over fox baiting
ABC TV News – 16 October 2012
Residents in southern Tasmania are concerned about plans to lay fox baits containing the poison 1080 in a suburban area.
The Department of Primary Industries are stepping up its fox baiting around the State. But its target areas have left some residents angry, with 1080 poison about to be laid in the highly populated suburb.
Reporter Nicole Price: Tranmere on Hobart’s Eastern Shore is one of Tasmania’s fastest growing suburbs. By the end of the week meat laced with 1080 poison will be laid on two private properties right in the middle of the residential area.
Joan Yaxley (Resident): ”I was astounded. I mean let’s face it… there’s the water there. The area that they’re talking about runs down to the Police Academy [at Rokeby]. How is the fox going to get here?”
The Department of Primary Industries considers the area between Oceania Drive and Tranmere Road ‘prime fox habitat’ even though there have been no reported sightings.
Craig Elliott [Fox Program Manager speaking from Canberra]: ”If you go across the Melbourne; the highest density of foxes in Australia, basically in the Port of Melbourne.’”
Despite assurances of the low dosage of poison being used, residents are uneasy about baits being laid so close to houses.
Joan Yaxley (Resident): “All these people around here have little kids; they muck around in the dirt; they mess about, digging and carrying on.”
Despite a 14-year long hunt, no fox has been found alive in Tasmania. They [DPIP{WE] have found four carcasses, one skull, two foot prints and 61 scats and this year alone there’s been around 200 reported sightings. The Department says it shows a State-wide baiting program is needed.
Craig Elliott [Fox Program Manager]: “About three months after the baiting is completed, ahh… we put in detector dogs into an area. And if no foxes are being found, then obviously we treating that as, ahhm… another area that’s been cleared.”
Tranmere residents are being asked to keep their domestic pets locked up over the next two weeks.
