Coordinated fox baiting the key - Lower Eyre Peninsula
Starting this month, eligible land managers can collect free fox baits and discuss their property baiting programs with Natural Resources Officers at a number of convenient locations across Lower Eyre Peninsula. Natural Resources Officer Lana Roediger says that it’s important for land managers to work strategically with neighbours to conduct fox baiting at the same time.
Starting this month, eligible land managers can collect free fox baits and discuss their property baiting programs with Natural Resources Officers at a number of convenient locations across Lower Eyre Peninsula.
Natural Resources Officer Lana Roediger says that it’s important for land managers to work strategically with neighbours to conduct fox baiting at the same time.
“Land managers bait for a variety of reasons including reducing predation on livestock, especially during lambing, as a good neighbour policy, or to protect native wildlife such as birds and reptiles on their property,” said Ms Roediger.
“Department of Primary Industries research indicates that producers who worked with neighbours in a group fox baiting program (i.e. baited at the same time) were able to increase lambing percentages by up to 20 per cent and those that baited twice a year, prior to lambing, had the greatest increase in lambing percentage.”
“Other fox control methods include using guard animals such as alpacas or dogs, den destruction or fumigation, exclusion fencing, trapping or shooting but baiting is the most effective method of fox control in Australia.”
The total annual cost of foxes to Australia's environment and economy is estimated to be $227 million and last year Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula distributed over 10,000 fox baits to land managers across Lower Eyre Peninsula to reduce the local fox population.
The estimated cost of a fox baiting program conducted on farm twice per year, including labour, is approximately $800 and the return on investment is significant.
Free fox bait can be collected at the locations below on the dates listed between 9:30-11:30am:
• Cummins- Lincoln Rural Supplies: 19 February
• Sleaford – Mikkira Station: 23 February
• Greenpatch - Kurara Woolshed: 23 February
• Wanilla – Wanilla Hall: 24 February
• Port Neill - Green Shed: 24 February
• Edillilie – Edillilie Hall: 25 February
• Ungarra – Ungarra Hall: 25 February
• Tumby Bay – NR/Landcare Office: 26 February
• Louth Bay – Louth Bay Golf Club: 27 February
• Yallunda Flat – Yallunda Flat Hall: 27 February
• Wangary – Wangary Hall: 2 March
• Karkoo- Karkoo Hall: 2 March
Land holders need to bring a bucket with a sealed lid to collect baits or purchase one on the day.