The fox hot spots in Melbourne’s suburbs as ferals become more brazen

Pest experts reveal foxes are killing more small pets and becoming fearless around humans as Melbourne’s top 20 hot spots are revealed.

Foxes are causing havoc in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, with growing numbers killing small pets, jumping fences into backyards, climbing onto house roofs, and approaching people in daylight.

The feral pests have always been common in the outer suburbs, but experts say the CBD and inner suburbs including St Kilda, Hawthorn and Williamstown are now hot spots.

Residents and trappers are reporting a rise in brazen behaviour, with foxes now sighted in daylight hours strolling nonchalantly along suburban streets.

In July, an 11-year-old Pomeranian was tragically killed by a fox in her secure Williamstown backyard in Melbourne’s inner west, prompting her devastated family to urge others to keep small dogs inside at night.

A fox at Sandy Point Nature Reserve in Newport. Picture: James Young

A fox spotted mid afternoon in Williamstown. Picture: James Young

And last November, a 12-week-old puppy was mauled to death in another Williamstown family’s backyard by a fox that had jumped eight-foot (2.4m) fences.

The labradoodle was let out into the backyard in the early hours to go to the toilet, when a fox emerged from the bushes and attacked.

Surveys by pest controllers and government authorities indicate some pockets of Melbourne are home to as many as 18 foxes per square kilometre.

In June, Newport mum Kristiana Greenwood was stunned when a fox appeared at the family’s glass back doors in the early afternoon after scaling their high backyard fence.

Alex Krstic, director at pest control company Wildpro, said his trappers are catching 30 to 50 foxes a week across Melbourne, and are increasingly finding pet remains near the dens.

“We’ll find chicken legs with rings on their legs, and little collars with bells on them, which indicates that Tiddles has fallen victim to the fox,” he said.

“We’ve found remains of small dogs and cats, and lots of evidence of native species.

“Usually you find pieces. It’s like going to Hannibal Lecter’s place.”

A roof invader in Reservoir.

A pair of foxes spotted walking across a Mt Waverley roof.

Mr Krstic said there had been a steady increase in fox numbers in metropolitan areas in recent years.

“Foxes have been able to adapt extremely well to living in metropolitan areas, and living amongst humans or very close to humans,” he said.

“There’s nothing predating on them, and there’s very few people doing anything about them.”

Mr Krstic said one contributor to the rise in fox numbers was “stupid” people feeding them.

“We’ve had people feeding foxes in bayside areas, at a barbecue, and the foxes come out and take pieces of food from people’s hands,” Mr Krstic said.

“It’s also us overfeeding our dogs.

“People with a dog in the backyard fill their bowl up … and we’ve got footage of foxes jumping people’s fences and eating dog food, and the dog standing there looking at them.”

Increases in empty blocks across Melbourne have also led to an increase in fox populations.

A fox stands unperturbed outside Nando's in Williamstown. Picture: James Young

A brazen fox makes its along the fence in Mt Waverley.

“In some of the affluent suburbs like Brighton, Black Rock, Kew, Hawthorn, all of those areas, people buy land or real estate and leave it,” Mr Krstic said.

“By virtue of the fact nobody is upkeep the properties or leaving them pending development, that in itself provides very, very good harbour for foxes.”

Williamstown resident James Young has recently photographed several foxes in the inner west suburb, including one outside Nando’s in busy Nelson Place as people streamed past on the footpath across the road.

“They certainly seem to be out and about in more daylight hours,” Mr Young said.

“They certainly seem to be a lot more game. They’re not as timid as they used to be.

“I’ve walked past one that was 2½ metres from me and it was quite happy to stand there and look at me as I walked past and there were other people walking as well.”

According to Agriculture Victoria, foxes are one of Australia’s worst pest animals. They carry diseases including mange, and can spread rabies.

Foxes are believed to be the primary cause in the decline of many Australian small mammal species, and animals in the critical weight range of 35g to 5.5kg are most at risk of fox attack.