Latest news with #GillianBasnett
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive predator strolls through Aussie suburb as crisis grows
An invasive predator was spotted strolling around an inner-city building this week, shocking Aussies passing by on their way to work. Photos show the brazen red fox casually strutting up a flight of stairs in Parkville, Melbourne, before wandering along what appears to be an apartment complex's fence — all in broad daylight. The destructive pest, which locals say they have affectionately named 'Frédérique', was caught on camera by a curious man who briefly followed the animal. However the seemingly innocent scene is anything but. Foxes are increasingly making their way into Aussie suburbs and major metropolitan areas, with cities like Perth, Sydney and Melbourne hosting the highest populations in the country. And it seems that residents are very aware of their presence, with some revealing online that they see 'Frédérique' walking around 'like he owns the place' on a daily basis. 'I hate that they're so cute but at the same time such a pest. I see them relatively frequently around the northern suburbs,' one Melburnian commented on the Reddit post. 'They're unfortunately quite common,' another added. Urban areas have a higher population of foxes compared to rural areas due to the availability of food, water and shelter. It's estimated that there are as many as 16 foxes per square km in Melbourne, according to Agriculture Victoria. According to recent research by the Australian National University, there are thought to be some 1.7 million foxes across the country, with populations found on 80 per cent of the continent. Their presence, along with feral cats, has had a devastating impact on our wildlife, contributing significantly to Australia's status as having the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. Each year, foxes kill about 300 million native mammals, birds and reptiles. Along with human activity, foxes are speeding up the loss of native animals in our cities. 'The red fox has played a major role in the decline of ground-nesting birds and small to medium sized mammals in Victoria,' Parks Victoria says. 'Foxes are opportunistic predators and scavengers that impact native wildlife, spread weeds and cause production loss in livestock systems.' In Victoria, foxes are declared as established pests, therefore all homeowners and land managers are required to take reasonable steps to help control their spread. 🚘 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 Earlier this year, a 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. In autumn, young foxes are 'on the move' in search of new territory after being 'kicked out of home', population management specialist Gillian Basnett recently told Yahoo. However, in cities, it is particularly difficult to completely remove foxes. 'Because we're so close to human habitation and pet animals, it leaves us with a limited set of tools to manage fox numbers," she said. Despite this, Basnett said there are things you can do to help protect local wildlife and deter foxes. They include: 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.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Predator spotted on Aussie road in broad daylight exposes sinister reality: 'On the move'
A photo taken from a car in the middle of a busy intersection has highlighted the worrying fact that an invasive predator is 'on the move' in broad daylight — prompting a plea to Aussie residents. The brazen fox shown in the image, taken in Perth's northern suburbs, comes as the devastating impact the invasive species is having on native Australian wildlife was laid bare after 300 turtles were killed in an ecologically significant set of wetlands in the last 12 months alone. It's a problem that affects major cities across the country, with urban areas like Perth along with Sydney and Melbourne hosting the highest populations of foxes in Australia. And this time of year, foxes are "on the move" in search of new territory, population management specialist Gillian Basnett told Yahoo. "It's highly likely the photo of that fox in the middle of the intersection is probably a young one trying to leave home," Basnett explained. Young foxes have been "kicked out of home" and are "roaming about finding new territory." It means that the foxes are in search of new food sources, and residents can play a major role in reducing their numbers with several simple actions. Basnett told Yahoo that a study in Perth found that 97 percent of scats found some form of human food including mince, fruit, pet food, chickens and chicken feed. Everyday Aussies can help reduce fox populations in cities by restricting access to food. Her tips include: 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. Foxes are predators that have a major impact on native wildlife. Along with human activity, foxes are speeding up the loss of native animals in our cities. "Foxes will happily hunt bandicoots, possums, nesting birds, lizards, and all sorts of things in our cities," Basnett explained. They also impact shore birds, penguins and both freshwater and sea water turtles as well as people's pets. In Perth, conservationists are calling for more action to help combat the devastating impact of foxes on native Australian wildlife, after 300 turtles were killed in the city's wetlands in the last 12 months alone. "What's been happening in Perth is the lakes dropped and the turtles became exposed," explained Basnett. "When the lakes drop, there is no protection from water. One fox went through and killed over 100 turtles, which is very tragic." ☠️ Plea to Aussies over controversial substance found in bush 🦊 Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged by invasive predator 🐜 Aussie mum's brutal injuries as property owners warned of painful threat In cities, it's "hard" to control populations because the key tool in Australia to remove foxes is "Because we're so close to human habitation and pet animals, it leaves us with a limited set of tools to manage fox numbers," she said. Other tools at the disposal of authorities include trapping, shooting and den fumigation. Basnett believes "now is a good time" for authorities to try. "You've got a lot of dumb young faces that are easy to trap," she said. "They're not yet wiley, trying to find a home and are easily managed at this time." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Predator spotted on road in broad daylight exposes sinister reality: 'On the move'
A photo taken from a car in the middle of a busy intersection has highlighted the worrying fact that an invasive predator is 'on the move' in broad daylight — prompting a plea to Aussie residents. The brazen fox shown in the image, taken in Perth's northern suburbs, comes as the devastating impact the invasive species is having on native Australian wildlife was laid bare after 300 turtles were killed in an ecologically significant set of wetlands in the last 12 months alone. It's a problem that affects major cities across the country, with urban areas like Perth along with Sydney and Melbourne hosting the highest populations of foxes in Australia. And this time of year, foxes are "on the move" in search of new territory, population management specialist Gillian Basnett told Yahoo. "It's highly likely the photo of that fox in the middle of the intersection is probably a young one trying to leave home," Basnett explained. Young foxes have been "kicked out of home" and are "roaming about finding new territory." It means that the foxes are in search of new food sources, and residents can play a major role in reducing their numbers with several simple actions. Basnett told Yahoo that a study in Perth found that 97 percent of scats found some form of human food including mince, fruit, pet food, chickens and chicken feed. Everyday Aussies can help reduce fox populations in cities by restricting access to food. Her tips include: 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. Foxes are predators that have a major impact on native wildlife. Along with human activity, foxes are speeding up the loss of native animals in our cities. "Foxes will happily hunt bandicoots, possums, nesting birds, lizards, and all sorts of things in our cities," Basnett explained. They also impact shore birds, penguins and both freshwater and sea water turtles as well as people's pets. In Perth, conservationists are calling for more action to help combat the devastating impact of foxes on native Australian wildlife, after 300 turtles were killed in the city's wetlands in the last 12 months alone. "What's been happening in Perth is the lakes dropped and the turtles became exposed," explained Basnett. "When the lakes drop, there is no protection from water. One fox went through and killed over 100 turtles, which is very tragic." ☠️ Plea to Aussies over controversial substance found in bush 🦊 Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged by invasive predator 🐜 Aussie mum's brutal injuries as property owners warned of painful threat In cities, it's "hard" to control populations because the key tool in Australia to remove foxes is "Because we're so close to human habitation and pet animals, it leaves us with a limited set of tools to manage fox numbers," she said. Other tools at the disposal of authorities include trapping, shooting and den fumigation. Basnett believes "now is a good time" for authorities to try. "You've got a lot of dumb young faces that are easy to trap," she said. "They're not yet wiley, trying to find a home and are easily managed at this time." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Plea to Aussies over controversial substance found in bush: 'Lethal'
Most Australians have heard of 1080 bait. Many of us know that it's a dangerous and toxic substance used as a poison, but not everyone is aware of exactly why it's used in the first place. Growing opposition to the use of 1080 has sparked fears that its use may be stopped, causing invasive threats to proliferate in the Aussie outback — with one authority arguing it serves as a lifeline for Australia's most threatened animals as well as the country's most vulnerable citizens. "It's the thin green line we have that protects our threatened animals," Gillian Basnett from the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions told Yahoo. "Without it, we are choosing cats and foxes, rabbits and pigs over our native wildlife and that is not a choice I would make." Gillian, who runs the nation's feral cat and fox response, argues that negativity surrounding the baiting program runs the risk of "losing it as an option". "If we lost the use of 1080 as a tool and as a bait, the outcome would be devastating to our wildlife and our farmers," she said. "It's a hard thing to talk about because we don't want to go out and kill animals but we have introduced them, they're having an impact and it's up to us to do something about it." Sodium fluoroacetate, known commonly as 1080, is an odourless, tasteless white powder that is diluted with water to concentrations specific to the species being targeted. The active ingredient is a naturally occurring toxin found in more than 30 species of native Australian "poison pea" plants from the Gastrolobium genus. Because of this, native species have developed a high tolerance to the toxin which invasive species do not have which means if ingested, researchers say they won't be harmed. However recent research by Deakin University found a large number of poison baits buried according to best practice methods are being dug up and eaten by non-target animals. The research found that foxes and dingoes accounted for just 12 per cent of the baits dug up or eaten. Of the 146 interactions with baits, 88 per cent were non-target species – primarily, native mice species such as Mitchell's hopping mouse (Notomys mitchellii) and silky mice (Pseudomys apodemoides). "Our research shows predator baiting has the potential to harm more native species than previously realised," scientists said. But Gillian argues that this contributes to a "misunderstanding" that 1080 kills native wildlife which is "not the reality". "To have effective control it needs us to be able to use all of the tools we have available. That means lethal control," she said. Australia's mammal extinction crisis is one of the worst in the world, with Australia's nature conservation councils describing it as a "big disappointment". This largely comes from the threat posed by thousands of invasive species continuing to wreak havoc on our precious native wildlife. Across the country, predators like foxes and feral cats have resulted in dozens of native species being driven to the brink — or wiped out entirely. "We've already lost 32 species that have died out with predation of cats and foxes and likely dingoes," Gillian said. Without 1080, she says we'd lose "so much more". Across the country, other tactics are being used to win the fight surrounding these prolific invaders such as huge fences to keep them out. Viruses have been developed to help reduce rabbit populations and a herpes virus has been proposed to stop invasive carp. But Gillian said that 1080 is the best tool to manage foxes and cats. "It's environmentally sustainable, doesn't accumulate in the environment, it's effective. It is the thing that we have holding back the impacts [of cats and foxes]." She admits we should "100 per cent look for alternatives", but cautions that the development of viruses could take "decades". "If we stopped 1080 now, we're looking at 50-100 years before that is effectively controlled and we'll have lost more species," she said. Gillian admits that it's "hard" to sell poison as a method of eradication. "I fully can understand the difficulty people have with that idea. It's hard to think about. But it is also a great opportunity we have to right some wrongs of the past. "We introduced cats and foxes. It's not their fault but they are causing a lot of damage and we need to put things right and make that choice and support that choice. "We need the public to support land managers in doing it and we need to recognise that the benefits to our native wildlife far outweigh the risks." Not only is wildlife impacted, but so too are Aussie farmers who are seriously impacted by this predation. Cats spread diseases and can "really impact" the financial and emotional well-being of the farming community. 🍻 Surprising twist after hundreds of Aussies boycott Great Northern beer 🌱 Crews caught with illegal garden items fined $60k amid 'serious' crackdown 😍 Gardener's incredible backyard transformation highlights 'growing trend' One of the more controversial target species of 1080 baiting programs is dingoes, or wild dogs. While they are protected in some states like Victoria, in others they are deemed a pest. Dingoes have long caused problems with livestock in Australia, with a 5,614km fence being built across Australia to keep them away from farm animals. Past research has suggested that hybrids of dogs and dingoes were common in the wild across Australia — and this research was used to defend the culling of these animals. But more recent research shows dingoes are not breeding with domestic dogs in the wild. "We hear a lot that 1080 kills native wildlife and what people are talking about is dingoes," Gillian said. Because dingoes have been present in Australia for up to 8,000 years, they haven't had as much time to develop tolerance to the bait. "It will kill dingoes, and that is a reality," she said. She believes that arguing about the genetics of such predators "muddies the water" because regardless, they are being targeted. "We manage over-abundant species" that are having an impact on vulnerable wildlife, she explained. "Dingoes can be that in some areas. In areas where dingoes, foxes and cats are all prevalent in the same area, vulnerable species like koalas, bilbies and rock wallabies don't stand a chance. "We're managing the impacts of predation regardless of which of that it is," she said. For concerned pet owners, Gillian warns that it is their responsibility to keep their pets safe. "People see the outcomes and have that emotional connection to their pet which is totally understandable," she said of pet dogs who have ingested the poison and died, prompting calls to ban the product. "I can totally understand the trauma of having your pet die, it is tragic," she said. "But we also need to take responsibility for our pets by not taking dogs where we shouldn't, keeping pet cats contained and protecting them from these impacts. "If there are baiting programs undertaken to protect our wildlife, they are signposted and so it's important to heed those signs, take notice of areas where there is baiting and to not take your pets into those areas," she said. For those roadtripping in cars and caravans to go camping or travel the country, she advises owners to check with landowners to find out where baiting programs are happening. "Do the research and make sure where you're taking your pet is allowed and it is safe to do so," she said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
