According to DPIPWE’s [b]Invasive Species Branch[/b] in 2012 strategic 1080 baiting ‘treated over 255,000 ha of core fox habitat in rolling baiting fronts in the south and north of Tasmania’.
The number of poison baits spread across this area to kill a fox wasn’t provided.
No physical evidence of fox activity was found in any baiting area. And no physical evidence of fox activity was found in follow up investigations received during 2012.
According to the Department the baiting operations involved large numbers of properties during 2012 posing significant administrative challenges in managing the community consultation process to obtain property access permission. [Land owners in core fox habitat have refused to allow access to baiters.]
The ongoing failure to detect or kill any foxes in Tasmania contrasts strongly with a publication in December 2012 titled: ‘Foxes are now widespread in Tasmania’.
DPIPWE has now applied to the next round of [i]Caring for Country[/i] of nature conversation Commonwealth funds to continue its 13 yr long fox-less ‘eradication’ program.
References:
[i]Eradicate[/i] – Autumn 2013 Issue 10 – DPIPWE publication
Sarre, SD et al (2012) Foxes are now widespread in Tasmania: DNA detection defines the distribution of this rare but invasive carnivore.. Journal of Applied Ecology doi: 10.1111/jpe.12011
From Eradicate …
The Invasive Species Branch of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment publishes a regular newsletter “Eradicate”. Issue 10 (Autumn 2013) contains the following material with regard to foxes in Tasmania:
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE (1998 to 31 March 2013)
Carcasses 4
Skull 1
Blood 1
Footprints 2
Scats 61
www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/fox
Evidence update (as at 31 March 2013)
No physical items indicating fox activity in Tasmania have been collected since July 2011. No evidence of fox activity has been identified from any area baited since commencement of Stage 2 operations.
68 hotlines reports were received from members of the public during January – March 2013. For the same period 85 reports were received in 2012 and 98 reports in 2011.
Fox Program 2012 summary
During 2012, the strategic fox baiting program completed treatment of over 255 000 ha of core fox habitat in rolling baiting fronts in the south and north of Tasmania.
The fox baiting program involved over 800 properties and seven local council areas, with the support of key industry and conservation stakeholders, local councils and the community being vital for this progress.
Post bait monitoring using scat detector dog teams was completed in over 150 000 ha of treated core fox habitat during 2012. No physical evidence of fox activity was identified in any baited region. Investigation of fox activity reports received during 2012 similarly identified no physical evidence of fox activity.
Baiting operations involved large numbers of properties during 2012 posing some significant administrative challenges in managing the community consultation process to obtain property access permission. Baiting operations were also impacted by weather conditions during winter and spring of 2012. This resulted in baiting being suspended due to difficulties in property access (by vehicle and on foot) and the potential for saturated soils to reduce lethality of fox baits. Baiting operations recommenced during October and November once weather conditions were suitable for baiting.
The FOX OUT hotline received an average of six fox activity reports per week during 2012.
Read the current edition of Eradicate and access archived editions.
(http://www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/LBUN-8V38X4?open)
Download:
