FOXES in urban areas around Orange are on the increase because of housing developments creeping into agricultural land, according to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
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Foxes have been sighted in Byng Street, Green Lane and Clinton Street.
FoxScan, a mapping website for recording fox sightings, shows very high numbers at Bletchington and the Ophir Road area.
Medium numbers have been spotted at several sites on Cadia Road past Glenroi and low numbers were seen in town at Warrendine and further out on the Forest Road.
Glenroi continues to be a hot spot for foxes.
DPI researcher Lynette McLeod said fox numbers in town were increasing as new housing estates were established in areas where foxes would usually live.
“They’re at home with human occupation, they scavenge and adapt to any sort of habitat they live in,” she said.
Orange councillor Reg Kidd agreed.
“I’ve seen them come out of Cook Park at night time,” he said.
“I’d like to see council monitor the situation and see what they can do through the Local Government Association.”
Millthorpe has also felt the effects of foxes, according to resident Mark Logan, who recently lost three chickens to foxes.
“I was devastated because they took the new chickens not the old ones,” he said.
“I have had to reinforce the base of my chicken coop with corrugated iron sheets buried into the ground.
“I’ve seen a lot of foxes around Millthorpe.”
Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPA) ranger Colin Somerset said authorities and landowners were very limited with ways to control the animals in urban areas.
“You can’t do the traditional methods like baiting, and trapping is difficult because you could catch the neighbours’ cats,” he said.
Mr Somerset said the best way to reduce fox numbers in town was to limit potential food by keeping pet food inside and ensuring chicken pens were secured with vermin proof fencing.
The LHPA has fumigated a number of underground fox burrows found in Orange.
The FoxScan website is an initiative of peak bodies including the (DPI) and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC).
Fox and other feral animal sightings can be reported at www.feralscan.org.au to help ongoing pest control.
clare.colley@ruralpress.com
