Beto O'Rourke calls for Democrats to be 'ruthless' in pursuit of power
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Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Late night encounter in suburban car park highlights issue that 'should concern everyone'
A late-night encounter in a suburban car park with an invasive predator has exposed a growing problem, which one Aussie warns should be a concern to "everyone". Western Sydney resident Gabriel was taking a stroll after dark when he came across an incredibly brazen fox. While the sighting itself is a common occurrence in urban spaces, what surprised the wildlife enthusiast was just how tame the invasive predator appeared to be. "I went for a walk, and when I was in the car park of Valentine Park, I saw this fox," Gabriel told Yahoo News of the encounter in Glenwood earlier this week. "I thought it would have seen me and run away, but it let me get really close, and even came sniffing for food. It was really tame, I believe, because it's in a suburb, it's become accustomed to humans." Prolific fox populations affect major cities across the country, with urban areas like Sydney, Melbourne and Perth hosting some of the highest populations in the country due to their availability of food, water and shelter. There are an estimated 1.7 million foxes in Australia, according to the Australian National University. "Foxes are one of the worst invasive species that we have here for many reasons," said Gabriel. "They adapt very well to almost everywhere, eat most food, they're smart and cunning, and they've made their home in the Sydney suburbs. "It should be a concern to everyone," he said. Reason foxes are a big problem in Australia Reacting to the footage, fox population management specialist Gillian Basnett told Yahoo that it's likely this one has been "fed by people before". "It is definitely not a good idea to feed foxes, both because they are a declared pest and have significant impacts on wildlife and pets and cause a nuisance, but also because if they become used to being fed and less scared of people, the risk of attack increases," she said. "It might be that they are more visible at the moment because they are searching out mates and den sites at this time of year," she explained. Growing populations of foxes have a major impact on wildlife, and are contributing to the speeding up of native animal loss in our cities, along with human activity. There have been several sightings in cities in recent months, with one Melbourne fox affectionately named 'Frédérique', by locals. Another fox was photographed standing in the middle of a busy Perth intersection in the middle of the day, not long after local authorities revealed the predators had killed 300 turtles in an ecologically significant set of wetlands over the span of a year. Basnet explained that managing foxes in urban areas is difficult due to the lack of access to management tools in heavily populated areas. "What we do know is that if we can remove/reduce the available food then we can reduce their numbers," she said. "There is a lot of food available in cities from rubbish, pet food, fruit, compost, discarded food and tips." 🚘 Predator spotted on Aussie road exposes sinister reality 🐢 Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged by predator 📸 Sad story behind image of emu toes amid Australia's invasive species crisis How Aussies can help reduce fox populations Everyday Aussies can help reduce fox populations in cities by restricting access to food. Don't leave pet food outside overnight Use enclosed compost bins Keep domestic animals secure at night Remove fallen fruit around fruit trees Keep garbage bins covered Block entry points to drains Close off access to underneath buildings Use fox-proof enclosures for poultry, remember foxes dig and can climb Turn off outside lights that might attract insects Reduce weeds that provide food and shelter, such as Blackberries Record sightings in FoxScan. Deterrents need to be intermittent as they will habituate quickly. E.g. sensor spotlights rather than lights on all the time. Have gardens with lots of plants that wildlife can hide in, grasses, shrubs, rocks, logs, etc. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Associated Press
19 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Trump arrives in Scotland and blasts Europe's wind energy and immigration policies
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.
Forbes
19 minutes ago
- Forbes
Aging, And With It The Sobering Loss Of Good Friends
Marie Thrailkill and John Williams at Laurel High School's 50-year class reunion, 2023, Laurel, Maryland. Jim Clash I recently posted something on Facebook to the effect that, as we age, the number of friends we have seems to dwindle noticeably, and for a number of reasons. The online response was overwhelming, surprisingly, with many of my baby-boom generation weighing in. First off, while I think social media is one of the reasons for this - texting, e-mailing and the like instead of talking on the phone or meeting up in person - I will say that Facebook generally is a positive. I have come across many friends and teammates from grade school, high school and college there, as well as folks from various jobs I've held over the years. It's interesting to see the paths in life they have chosen, or, in some cases, have chosen them. Part of what precipitated my post was the death this year of some of my high school classmates. One, in particular, was a friend I had gone through eight years of grade school with, then four years of high school (we had worked together on a prize-winning laser science project). I hadn't seen him since our 50-year recent class reunion. I did hear that he had cancer then, but to me he looked okay. In fact, 55 of my high school graduating class were not present at that reunion due to deaths. Another contributing factor to lost friendships is the deep divide politically in this country, as wide a gap as I've seen in my lifetime. The current situation has destroyed relationships in families, and with co-workers and friends. The COVID-19 pandemic didn't help, either, with its years of lockdown and isolation. Something I'm particularly sensitive to - and maybe it's just me - is the sudden disappearance (they call it "ghosting") of old friends. Here today, gone tomorrow. The acquaintances I don't mind so much, it's the close friends I don't understand. Perhaps it's that they are busy with their kids or grandkids, or are traveling in retirement, but with some I have the unsettled feeling that they can't get anything more from me. It's as if, in my later years, I have nothing more to give (I'm a journalist and I'm not rich), or perhaps they sense that I might need something from them, God forbid. Or perhaps I'm just paranoid. In any case, I guess this is all a sobering part of getting older, but I don't have to like it. I'm sure I'm guilty of some of this impersonality, too. And, much as I detest birthdays these days, I've come to welcome them. I mean, what's the alternative?
