'We cannot accept foxes in our landscape': the plan to save Australia's wildlife

A draft national strategy proposes a coordinated, long-term assault on the European red fox, identified as one of the biggest drivers of mammal extinctions in Australia. Scientists estimate around 1.7 million foxes across much of the mainland, killing an estimated 367 million native mammals, 111 million birds and 88 million reptiles every year. Researchers have singled out a dozen species at immediate risk - including Gilbert’s potoroo, eastern quoll, several bandicoots, bettongs, hare-wallabies, the Tasmanian pademelon and seven freshwater turtle species - and argue that fox predation, more than climate change or habitat loss, is the primary near-term extinction threat for many small mammals.

The plan concedes continent-wide eradication is infeasible but sets a 30-year mission to prevent further population loss through targeted measures: expanded fox-free islands and predator-proof fenced sanctuaries, harmonised federal‑state legislation, shared research and coordinated control programs. It recommends combining traditional lethal baiting with indirect control methods shown to reduce impact, and estimates implementation would cost about AUD 175m over five years (roughly AUD 35m a year) versus current spending of AUD 5-7m. Advocates stress that without dedicated, sustained funding and public support for control operations, native species already protected by ad hoc efforts will continue to decline.