The European Foxes

Since its’ introduction to Australian shores in 1845, the European fox, or vulpes vulpes, has had a disastrous impact on the native environment. So much so that this highly adaptable mammal, originally brought to Australia for recreational hunting purposes, is now a target for extermination. Their ability to adjust quickly to changes in their environment and thrive, which has lead to much harm to both aboriginal Australian species and livestock, now means that we are faced with an ultimatum: destroy the fox, or allow the extinction of native creatures and the continued damage of livestock.

As previously stated, the fox was introduced to Australia in 1845 for the purposes of recreational hunting. Supposedly, they were first released near
In the past, many methods have been employed to this end, however most have failed dismally. Included among these traditional control methods are shooting, trapping, fencing, baiting/poisoning and den destruction or fumigation. In my opinion, each one of these methods is inhumane in some way and, as they only serve to cull foxes within a concentrated area which is almost immediately reinvaded by foxes from nearby areas, ineffective on the whole. For example shooting, unless completely accurate, leaves the fox in considerable pain until its’ death, which can be very slow. Shooting in any form, including fox drives and dogging, requires a significant amount of labour, is only productive in a small area for a short time (as foxes will not continue to return to a dangerous region) and as mentioned formerly, can be highly inhumane. Trapping is equally ineffective and inhumane, as despite the outlawing of steel jaw traps, the legal, padded leg- hold traps, or cage traps, still cause substantial injury and pain to the animals captured, and foxes are often too wary to be captured by cage traps. Furthermore, should the trapper neglect the traps at any time, the captive can be left to die cruelly from starvation, dehydration, hypothermia or predation by another
Erstwhile, disease was considered the most humane and effective way to achieve this. Yet scientists have been unable to find a suitable disease with which to target foxes specifically and as has been demonstrated by the unleashing of myxomatosis upon Australia’s rabbit population, employing this strategy can still lead to thousands of animals dying in considerable pain and distress. Therefore, the use of disease as a form of fox control has, for the moment, been abandoned. An alternative biotechnological method of fox control is currently under research, and although it may be years yet before we can put it into practice, it is theoretically feasible. The CSIRO, in collaboration with the Pest Animal Control CRC (Cooperative Research Centre) and AFSSA, are working on the development of immunocontraceptive vaccines that will effectively trick a fox’s body into believing that some of the proteins contained within the coating of the egg or sperm are foreign bodies. Once the body accepts this, the full force of the immune system is released upon these “foreign bodies” in a powerful antibody attack which, if strong enough, prevents fertilisation and ultimately leaves the infected animal sterile. In foxes, researchers have successfully identified and inserted into Salmonella bacteria, a number of the