Sightings of foxes in Caringbah, New South Wales and surrounding areas can now be reported via a new online tool.
The Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre has developed Foxscan to allow residents to immediately record evidence of foxes and sightings.
Foxscan has been introduced specifically to assist councils in determining locations where feral foxes are prevalent, and the extent of the problem.
Councils using the online tool include Sutherland, Strathfield, Waverley, Rockdale, Randwick, Marrickville, Kogarah, Hurstville, City of Sydney, Canterbury, Canada Bay, Bankstown, Auburn and Ashfield.
Peter West, project leader at the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre, said threatened species throughout the participating council areas were exposed to the threat of foxes.
He welcomed the coordinated approach to keeping an eye on fox sightings and said the use of Foxscan would assist councils greatly with efforts to alleviate the threat of foxes in urban areas.
West said there were many benefits to recording the activities of foxes, including the places they frequent, numbers of animals seen and the problems being caused by them.
He said this type of information could be used by community groups and local authorities to help develop strategies that would assist in reducing the problems they cause.
Anyone keen to assist is urged to register on the Foxscan website, start mapping foxes and take part in fox control programmes in the local area.
Flyer printing has been conducted in many of the participating council areas to alert residents to the programme.
