Trapping is widely used for fox control in Australia. Fox trapping is a relatively simple method where non-lethal traps are laid and monitored. Trapped animals can then be euthanised or removed from the environment. Foxes are not easy to catch; to be successful, training on how to best set a trap is vital.
Trapping is most useful in urban areas, for targeting problem animals, and protecting specific assets such as livestock and native wildlife.
A number of trap designs are available for use in Australia. Trap designs vary, but typically belong in one of four categories: cage traps, padded-jaw traps (soft-jawed leg-hold traps), soft net traps and snares. Padded-jaw and cage traps are the most commonly used.
Each trap type has advantages and things to consider. Program managers often use a padded-jaw traps for fox management, except in urban and peri-urban areas where they might not be allowed or suitable and cage traps are more common. Traps that contain an animal, such as cage or box traps, are considered more humane because they are less likely to cause injury than traps that restrain an animal, such as padded-jaw traps or snares.
Trapping has traditionally been a cost- and effort-intensive process because large numbers of traps must be laid and checked daily.
Newly developed electronic systems are increasingly used as part of trapping programs to alert program managers to triggered traps. These systems substantially reduce the cost and effort of these trapping programs and increase welfare outcomes.
Using traps and snares in fox control is regulated in Australia and the allowed types vary depend on legislation in your state or territory.
Before setting any trap, you must know what you are going to do with any animal caught.
Steps should be taken to protect the welfare of trapped animals. For example as covering the cage with shade cloth and providing water during hot conditions and providing bedding in cold conditions. Traps should be checked at least every 24 hours.
According to the National Standard Operating Procedure: Methods of euthanasia the most humane method of killing a fox in a trap is using a shot to the brain with an appropriate firearm or an overdoes of barbiturates.
Padded-jaw traps are the most common type of trap used for fox control in Australia. Photo: Tony Buckmaster.
Larger cage traps can be more effective for foxes. Photo: National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordination Program.
Trap types
Cage traps
Cage traps consist of a wire-mesh cage with a sprung door. When a fox enters the cage, the door is triggered by the animal’s weight on a treadle or it pulling at a bait, trapping them inside. Off-target animals can be released easily from a cage trap, injury may be reduced and trapped foxes can be transported away from the area for euthanasia. Foxes can be wary of entering a cage trap, particularly smaller cages and can escape from cages if they are too short or too flimsy.
Padded-jaw traps
Padded-jaw traps consist of two padded jaws connected to a spring-loaded mechanism that snaps shut on the leg of an animal when triggered. Padding, and limits to how tightly a trap can close, reduce the risk of injury to the animal during capture. Padded-jaw traps may be more effective than cage traps for hard-to-catch foxes that are reluctant to enter cage traps. Padded-jaw traps are often ‘baited’ with a scent or visual lure rather than food, making them more effective when foxes are not hungry. Newly released self-euthanising PAPPutty can be applied to the jaw of padded-jaw traps, which euthanises trapped foxes when they chew at the trap. There may be some restrictions in the use of padded-jaw traps for foxes in your state or territory. Padded-jaw traps are often not allowed in urban and some peri-urban areas.
PAPPutty lethal trap device
PAPPutty lethal trap device has been developed to enable the self-euthanasia of wild dogs and foxes captured in padded-jaw traps traps. PAPPutty uses the toxin PAPP in a paste that can be applied to cloth wraps on padded-jaw traps. Foxes tend to bite at the trap once they are captured, which puts them in contact with the PAPPutty cloths on the trap jaw, resulting in the euthanasia of the captured fox.
Soft net traps
Soft net traps consist of a mesh net structure connected to a trigger or pressure plate that wraps around the animal when triggered. Soft net traps are typically used in situations where an animal is unable to be caught with a cage trap and using padded-jaw traps or snares is restricted. Soft net traps combine the functions of cage traps, padded-jaw traps and snares because they can capture an animal less conspicuously than a cage trap, and are less likely to cause injury than a padded-jaw trap or a snare. However, currently there are no manufacturers or distributors of soft net traps suitable for capturing foxes in Australia.
Snares
Snares trap an animal by grasping or entangling a part of their body, while being less visible to foxes than a cage trap. Only specific designs of snare can be used in some states and territories in Australia, such as treadle snares or Collarum® neck restraints.
Steel-jaw traps
Steel-jaw traps are prohibited in most Australian states and territories. Even where they are not prohibited, they are not recommended on animal welfare grounds.
PAPPutty can be applied to a padded-jaw trap, making them more humane. Photo: Centre for Invasice Species Solutions
Advantages
- Trapping is useful in urban areas where other tools are inappropriate or for problem animals not being removed by other methods.
- If traps are used correctly, captured off-target animals can usually be released unharmed.
- Traps are usually non-destructive, allowing for live collection of data from target animals (e.g. allows GPS collaring or collecting measurements that may be missed with a baiting program).
- The range of traps helps to target hard-to-trap animals. For example, padded-jaw traps are useful for animals that are reluctant to enter cage traps. Trap design can also increase species selectiveness.
- PAPPutty can be applied to the jaw of padded-jaw traps, making them more humane as it reduces the time a fox is alive in the trap.
Cage traps are one of the few fox management tools available for urban areas. Photo: Robert Dickie.
Things to consider when trapping
- Always know what you are going to do with a trapped animals before setting a trap.
- Trapping alone, especially at a landscape scale, will not reduce fox populations enough for effective control. Other methods will also be needed.
- All traps have the potential to cause injury and some degree of suffering and distress to animals, so traps should only be used when there is no other practical alternative. Some trap designs, such as padded-jaw traps, have a higher chance than other designs of inflicting injuries on the trapped animal.
- Trapped animals can suffer from exposure, thirst, starvation, shock, muscle damage (‘capture myopathy’) and predation. Therefore, traps should be placed in an area protected from weather extremes and must be inspected at least once a day.
- Most traps are not target-specific, so they may catch off-target animals. Placement and bait or lure type can reduce this.
- As trapping is labour and cost intensive, it is usually not appropriate for broadscale control.
- Traps may be ineffective for particularly neophobic animals (those that are afraid of new things).
Consciously selecting trap and lure types, as well as trap placement, will help reduce capture and injury to off-target species like this Rosenberg’s goanna. Photo: National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordination Program.
Effective use
Trapping is a useful tool in feral animal control due to its relative simplicity, repeatability and reduced risk of harm to off-target animals.
Trapping is generally considered ineffective for landscape scale programss due to the resource intensiveness and need for extensive access for large-scale trapping programs.
Humane and successful trapping requires extensive training and experience. Trapping by inexperienced operators can result in ‘trap-shy’ foxes that are difficult to catch because they have previously escaped from a carelessly prepared and presented trap. Similarly, poor technique can result in greater rates of injuries and off-target captures.
Selection of appropriate traps and trap sites will minimise the damage, pain and distress caused to target and off-target animals.
Traps should be strategically positioned in areas frequented by foxes, but off to the side so that they do not get accidently triggered or catch an off-target animal. Do not set traps where you think pets or livestock are likely to be caught or trigger it. Foxes can be drawn to traps with use of bait, sound, visual or scent lure.
Trapping is most effective at night due to the nocturnal habits of foxes. Regular checks of traps are crucial to reduce stress on trapped foxes. Legally, traps need to be checked at least once every 24 hours. If practical, such as in urban areas, set traps in the afternoon, then inspect them early in the morning and keep them closed throughout the day.
Take measures to protect the welfare of trapped animals. For example, cover cages with shadecloth and do not trap when conditions are likely to be wet or extremely hot or cold. Traps should not be set where there is a risk of entanglement with fences or thick vegetation, which can cause injury to the trapped animal. Trapped foxes should be approached carefully and quietly to minimise panic, further stress and risk of injury.
Trapped foxes must be destroyed as quickly and humanely as possible. In most cases, this will be with a single rifle shot to the brain. If lactating vixens are caught in a trap, try to find dependent cubs and kill them quickly and humanely.
Off-target animals that are caught but not injured should be released at the trap site. If they are injured, you should seek veterinary treatment for them. If an animal is severely injured during trapping, they may need to be euthanised, and this should be undertaken quickly and humanely.
To be effective and to ensure best practice trapping for fox control you should comply with::
- National Standard Operating Procedure: Trapping of foxes using cage traps
- National Standard Operating Procedure: Trapping of foxes using padded-jaw traps
- Self euthanasia of wild dogs and foxes in foothold traps using a PAPP paste (PAPPutty).
- National Standard Operating Procedure: Methods of euthanasia
Trapping is most effective when undertaken by trained staff. Photo: National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordination Program.
In some areas, such as near houses, it might be necessary to move a trapped fox to humanely euthanise it. Photo: Josh Rosser.
Laws for trapping foxes
Trapping for fox control is allowed in all states and territories.
Trapping must be done in accordance with relevant animal welfare or prevention to animal cruelty Acts and Regulations, which means animals must not be subject to unnecessary stress, exposure or harm, and reasonable care must be taken to ensure other animals are not harmed.
Restrictions apply to urban and peri urban areas, particularly with the use of padded-jaw traps.
Training on how to effectively set and check traps is highly recommended.
Using PAPP products for controlling feral animals is strictly regulated in Australia. Training and permits are required for aquiring, using and storing PAPPutty. Permission to use the product depend on the legislation in your state or territory.
You must have landholder or land manager permission if trapping on someone else property or public land.
Contact your state or territory for more information on regulatory requirements for your program.
Banner Photo: David Peacock
It is vital to ensure your traps are cleaned and maintained and set up correctly. Photo: Jenny Carroll.