Red Foxes

Foxes are skilled hunters and adept scavengers. They have the ability to hunt more prey than they need, a behaviour referred to as surplus killing

Despite their rarity in the Arid Recovery area, foxes pose a significant threat to wildlife through surplus killing, often targeting multiple animals in a single night without consuming them

In Australia, foxes pose a significant threat to native wildlife. Introduced by European settlers in the 1870s for recreational hunting, these predators quickly became pests within two decades.  Foxes prey on a wide range of animals, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, making them a significant contributor to the decline of many native species. Their hunting behavior can disrupt ecosystems and have cascading effects on biodiversity. Despite attempts to manage their numbers, foxes are present in all States and Territories of Australia, with the exception of Tasmania.

Foxes at Arid Recovery

Research conducted by Arid Recovery has revealed that dingoes play a crucial role in suppressing fox populations. In a study conducted in 2008, it was observed that two dingoes were able to eliminate seven foxes within just 17 days in a controlled research paddock.

In the Arid Recovery area, foxes are less common compared to cats, making up only 12% of the feral animals trapped or shot. Moreover, there have been no instances of foxes being trapped or shot since 2017. Foxes have a high-energy lifestyle, needing significant food and water intake each night for survival. This reliance on resources makes them particularly vulnerable during droughts when prey becomes scarce, leading to a rapid decline in their population. It's likely that targeted fox control efforts and the 2019 drought have contributed to their reduced abundance in the region.
Remote cameras around the reserve target feral foxes 
While fox numbers are lower than those of cats, their impact can be disproportionately significant. Foxes are known to cause greater damage than cats individually, as they often kill more prey than they can consume. For instance, a single fox that infiltrated the Arid Recovery reserve was able to kill over five burrowing bettongs each night until it was successfully removed.