With each fox eating around 400 grams a day, their total consumption comes to 2,880 tonnes every day of the year!

Native animals make up about a third of this, another third comes from carrion, fruit and insects while the final third is livestock, most of which are hapless baby lambs.

So, how many foxes would there be on a typical property on the Southern Tablelands? The numbers are surprising.

Fox populations in Australia can be as high as up to 12 per km2 - even in places like metropolitan Melbourne.

Chris Harris, Senior Biosecurity Officer and fox control expert of South East Local Land Services (LLS) says “In our district around the Yass Valley and Gunning/Dalton, locals could easily have around 20 foxes within a kilometre of their lambing paddock or chook shed.”

Does it matter if properties are overrun by foxes?

FOXES are a major menace to both native wildlife and farm animals.

They have driven many native species to extinction and right now they are an officially declared threat to well over 70 endangered native birds, mammals, foxes and reptiles.

The traumatic losses sheep and goat farmers can suffer from fox predation are common knowledge. Less well known is the fact that other farmers can also be victims of the fox.

For example, foxes are known to transmit abortion causing parasites such as Neospora caninum to pregnant cows which suffer late term abortions or produce carrier calves resulting in losses through successive generations.

Landcare ramping up action to reduce fox damage

WHAT can you do to help make a better environment for farm and native animals?

Landcare groups across the Yass Valley and into the neighbouring Upper Lachlan Shire have formed Feral Fox Fighters, a community coalition working with Yass Valley Council and South East LLS to make our environment safer for wildlife and farm animals. And they are asking everybody on properties 10 ha or larger to help them.

Free feral pest training

IF you are new to fox and other feral pest control there is a great opportunity to learn how to go about it.

During February the Feral Fox Fighters project is offering Yass Valley, Gunning, Sutton and Wallaroo district residents free training to enable them to control feral foxes and rabbits on their properties effectively, safely and legally.

Phone Brenda or Chloe on 6226 1155 to book your place on a short 3 hour free training course.