Late night encounter in suburban car park highlights issue that 'should concern everyone'

Yahoo

2 days ago

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."
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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.
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