Fighting foxes on Country

01 Jan 1970

June/July 2018

Noel Webster, Aboriginal Community Support Officer

Local Aboriginal Custodians have aligned with South East Local Land Services’ Feral Fighters campaign and are out on Country hunting the cunning red fox. The Djuwin Mudjingaalbaraga Men’s Group has formed a working partnership with Crown Lands at Nowra to tackle the pest. Members of the group have undertaken 1080 pest control training with South East Local Land Services at Berry, and are now accredited to implement fox and wild dog pest programs.

The team has been laying baits on a 22,000 hectare property west of Nowra. The property is a successful Aboriginal Land Claim that has not yet been vested to Nowra Local Aboriginal Land Council and is under current management of Crown Land.

“The program has provided an opportunity for us to build our capacity as Custodians to interact, care for and work on our Traditional Country” said David Carpenter, a member of the Djuwin Mudjingaalbaraga men’s group.

“The red fox is a voracious predator and has had a negative impact on our native species, not only are we protecting our wildlife, we are also working to protect the primary industries and adjoining landholders.”

The Men’s group have been working with South East Local Land Services staff at Berry to implement the on-ground pest program. This year’s activity will build on last year’s successful spring program which recorded 34 baits taken. The group will be trialing different bait types and learning to read fox and dog tracks along with their associated behaviours.

This project demonstrates the commitment of agencies, industry and the community to work together to address threats which have significant economic repercussions to the agriculture industry and Indigenous community livelihoods.