The Northern Sydney Regional Fox Baiting Program

During 2001, the regional fox baiting program which commenced in the northern Sydney region, with initial planning in 1998, expanded to include the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Taronga Zoo and eleven local Councils (Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Pittwater, Ryde, Warringah, Willoughby, Parramatta, Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Mosman and North Sydney).

The northern Sydney region contains a green web of interconnecting bushland reserves, and hosts a diverse range of native animals. In particular, the population of the threatened Southern Brown Bandicoots (Isoodon obesculus) in the Sydney North Region is likely to be the largest in NSW.

Fauna surveys undertaken in reserves in the Sydney North Region implicated predation by foxes as a major cause of the recent declines in some native animals. Predation by foxes has been listed as a key threatening process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Studies indicate that foxes are more than twice as common in urban areas than agricultural areas.

Programs, over the previous past 10 years, using box cages, unfortunately met with limited success. Although these programs were generally able to trap a number of cats, few foxes were trapped, and many fox control programs lost momentum due to the lack of trap success.

The current most common method of fox control in Australia, especially rural areas, uses 1080. However, fox baiting has rarely been undertaken in urban areas due to the increased risk of poisoning to people and pets due to their larger populations. There are distance restrictions of 500 metres between a residential dwelling and a bait station, which limits use in urban reserves.

Searching for solution required the cooperation between councils and agencies. In 1998, six local Councils (Hornsby, Pittwater, Warringah, Ku-ring-gai, Willoughby and Ryde) and NPWS met with representatives from NSW Agriculture and the Moss Vale Rural Lands Protection Board to discuss management options for the control of urban foxes in the northern Sydney region. It was decided that the group should apply for a special off-label permit to reduce the distance restrictions for the use of 1080 fox baiting. A report titled “Joint Application for a regional licence to reduce the distance restrictions for 1080 fox baiting within the northern Sydney Region” was written in consultation with specialists in the field from across Australia and various community organisations.

In 1999, the NSW Pest Animal Council gave in principle support for the off-label permit application and accompanying report. Approval was granted by the National Registration Authority for a special permit to undertake 1080 fox baiting in the northern Sydney region in February 2000. The permit allows fox baiting to be undertaken in specific bushland reserves in the region by allowing fox baits to be laid up to 150 metres away from habitation. In addition, the permit clearly stipulates other distance restrictions and various conditions about the use of 1080 fox baits in this region.

The major aim of this regional fox control program is to ensure the long-tem survival and recovery of native animals in the Sydney North Region, by reducing fox numbers across the region.

The program additionally aims to:

• raise community awareness about the urban fox;
• investigate the effectiveness of fox control methods applicable to the urban environment;
• work with the community to implement the program;
• lessen the attacks on animals in Taronga Zoological Park and Kukundi Wildlife Refuge; and
• complement existing bushland management activities undertaken throughout the region.

Over the two years of planning for the fox baiting program, a community awareness campaign was implemented which culminated in a public seminar about urban feral animals and the distribution of over 10,000 brochures to the local community. Prior to the start of the actual baiting program extensive community notification was undertaken to inform residents and interested groups about the program. This involved public meetings, signs in reserves, mailouts and letterbox drop. Other general community notification has also taken place.

The baiting program
All staff receive training and direction to undertake this program. NSW Agriculture in conjunction with the Moss Vale Rural Lands Protection Board holds a specific course for the staff – Fox and Rabbit Control and Awareness Training Course. Prior to each on-ground program further in-house training days have been held for staff across the region. Also numerous staff have completed the NSW Agricultures Vertebrate Pest Control Course.

Control Methods
The initial program commenced with 1080 baiting in autumn and spring 2000, with all bushland reserves in the region being baited at the same time. Baits without 1080 are used for free feeding at all sites for a minimum of 3 days in order to identify if any non target species are visiting the stations. Commercial foxoff” baits (containing 3mg of 1080) are buried in sand-plot baiting stations. Individual baits are buried more than 10cm under the ground at stations. Stations are placed no less 100metres apart and at least 2 metres from tracks and trails. Only one bait is placed in each station at a time. Monitoring of the stations is undertaken daily with details recorded on a standard monitoring sheet.

During the first program in autumn 2000 over one hundred and fifty foxoff” poison baits were recorded as being taken by foxes in reserves being baited under the off-licence permit.

During 2001, the program has expanded to include the additional councils to bring the involvement of the eleven local councils, Taronga Zoo and the NSW NPWS.

Monitoring
On-ground monitoring for the regional fox baiting program involves fox density studies and surveys on native animals including Southern Brown Bandicoots to measure the impact of fox control. The Southern Brown bandicoot is being used as an indicator species as part of a priority experiment to measure the impact of fox predation. Cage trapping of Southern Brown Bandicoots is being undertaken at six grids, three times per year in two bushland reserves. This survey is being undertaken in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park (which is being baited) and Garigal National Park (where no baiting is occurring) to compare the changes in the bandicoot populations.

Fox activity is being monitored throughout many of the reserves in the region using sand plots. Sand plots are approximately one metre in length, placed across the width of tracks and trails, at approximately 500 metre intervals. These sand plots are being monitored four times per year in reserves that are being baited and reserves where no fox control is being undertaken.

Information from these studies will be used as part of the reporting on the statewide Draft NSW Fox Threat Abatement Plan and the Draft NSW Southern Brown Bandicoot Recovery Plan. Analysis of pre and post program fox density studies show that after the initial program of fox baiting in Autumn 2000 the fox population was reduced in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park (33% to 11%) compared to Garigal National Park (31% to 26%)7. Data on the Southern Brown Bandicoot is yet to be analysed.

Future research will include repeating a previous study on survival rates of Ringtail Possums.

Initial conclusions
At this stage it is too early to measure the success of the baiting program in terms of effect on wildlife populations. Anecdotal evidence from the community suggests that fewer foxes are being seen in some locations, and there are more reports of ring-tailed possums.

Other outcomes of the program include success in increasing the community awareness about urban foxes, and the community response has been far more positive than initially anticipated.

The regional approach was initially developed to improve the effectiveness of the baiting program, by covering a larger area. However, the regional aspect of the program has ensured that the program was promoted widely across region. The workload for each agency was also reduced as many aspects of the program were shared (such as community notification and public meetings).

The regional fox program has been more labour intensive than traditional baiting programs. The planning aspect of the program took 2 years to develop, the permit conditions required extensive community notification (involving signs in reserves, letterbox drops to residents and mailouts to community groups) and the daily checking of bait stations increased the costs of the program. It is anticipated that the costs of will reduce over time.

In conclusion, the agencies involved in this program are committed to undertaking an effective and long-term program, and will continue to thoroughly evaluate the success of the program.