Take Action on Feral Animals this Autumn

Autumn is the ideal time for a coordinated approach to feral animal control

To safeguard your bushland and the native wildlife that call it home, autumn is a crucial time for controlling foxes, cats and rabbits. With less green feed for rabbits and fewer prey options for foxes and cats, control efforts are more effective, giving your local ecosystem the best chance to thrive.

When managing vertebrate pests, it is essential to target all species simultaneously. Controlling rabbits without addressing foxes and cats can lead these predators to change their prey , increasing their impact on native species and livestock. Conversely, reducing fox and cat populations without tackling rabbits can cause a surge in rabbit numbers, leading to further environmental damage. A coordinated approach ensures the best outcomes for your land and surrounding habitat.

Fox baiting

Autumn is a key time for fox control, as it disrupts their migration and helps reduce local populations. This season also sees many native species expanding their home ranges in search of mates, making predator control crucial for providing safer movement corridors and supporting wildlife conservation. Our recommendations for fox baiting are as follows:

• Lay out baits at roughly 500m intervals to ensure adequate coverage of the property, without wasting bait.

• Avoid laying too many baits close together as this can result in foxes collecting several and burying them in a cache.

• Marking where baits are laid with flagging tape for ease of checking if they are being taken.

• To reduce the chances of non-target species taking baits :

• Burying baits - dig a small hole and ensure bait is covered (about 50 – 100mm deep). 

• Tether baits to a fence post to prevent non-target species (e.g. birds) taking the baits. This will also prevent birds from moving the baits around.

• Replace baits each week or two, or after any rains, as the 1080 in the bait will start to break down if left in the environment. This can result in sub-lethal baits in the environment.

• At the end of each baiting period, all remaining baits should be collected and disposed of, as per the directions on the product label.

Cage trapping for cats and foxes

Cage trapping is particularly effective at controlling feral cats and young foxes.

It is important to follow strict animal welfare protocols when undertaking cage trapping, including:

• Setting the trap in the late afternoon.

• Checking and closing the trap first thing the following morning.

• Keeping the trap closed throughout the day – this will not only reduce stress and harm to target animals, but also significantly reduce the chances of catching non-target species - including things like crows and reptiles, which are most active during the day.

• Placing the trap in a sheltered location (i.e., under a bush).

• Wrapping the trap in a hessian cloth to protect any trapped animal from the weather and further reduce the capture of non-target species – wrapping also increases chances of target species capture.

Rabbit control

Late summer to autumn is the ideal time for rabbit control, as the scarcity of fresh green grass makes control efforts more effective. A combination of strategies works best, as no single solution can completely manage rabbit populations. An integrated approach ensures the most successful and lasting results. To control rabbits in autumn we recommend:

• Calicivirus release

• Autumn, before rabbits start breeding and while the flies and other insects are out, is the best time of year to release the virus, as the insects help to spread the virus, and lactating females can pass virus immunity onto their young.

• 1080 baiting

• Using ‘ready to lay’ oats are the most effective, as these don’t require rabbits to eat a large number of oats in a short amount of time.

• The use of rabbit bait stations helps to protect the bait from early rain, which quickly washes 1080 off rabbit oats.

• Fumigation

• Instructional video: https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/diffusion-fumigation-of-rabbit-warrens/

• Most effective if followed up with warren destruction.

• Harbour reduction/destruction:

• Remove rubbish piles within bushland.

• Survey your property for rabbit warrens.

• For any warrens showing activity it’s important to fumigate, conduct 1080 baiting or release the calicivirus a good 3-4 weeks prior to destroying a warren, as any rabbits remaining in a destroyed warren can dig out and restart the warren.

Join the effort!

Feral animal control is a key component of our Healthy Environments projects due to the threats feral animals pose to our native species and ecosystems. If you’d like assistance with a feral animal control program for your property, have a read through our Protecting the Eucalypt Woodlands of the WA Wheatbelt project guidelines and complete an Expression of Interest form or contact Senior Project Officer Kate Sherlock for more information.

This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management, a member of the Regional Delivery Partners panel.

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Published eNews #400, March 2025