Whitney Wininger
Mr. Johnson
Block B
14 December 2014
Case Study Summative - Criterion A and D Vulpes vulpes or more commonly known as the European Red Fox is an invasive species in Australia along with other countries. The common Red Fox is approximately 1000 mm long from its head to its tail, the Red Fox can weigh up to 8.3 kg. (Issg Database) The Red Fox however is not entirely red. Its throat, abdomen and the tip of its tail is white, while is legs and ears are black, the back of this animals is red, therefore because of the color of its back it gets the name Red Fox. (Issg Database) The Red Fox was originally from many countries in Europe, but were introduced to Australia in 1845. (Kingdom: Animalia) Red Foxes were first brought to Australia for sport hunting purposes, but no one could have predicted the damage that there animals would cause to the environment in the future. (Kingdom:
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The foxes are thought of to be responsible for the killing off most of the ground living animals in the last 130 years. (Red Fox) Any animal that is smaller that 5.5 kilograms is prey to the foxes, a single fox is estimated to eat about 400 grams each night. (Red Fox) Sometimes a fox will kill many animals during the night but not eat all of them, this can lead to serious food shortage for other native animals. I single fox can kill thousands of mammals, reptiles and birds every year. (Red Fox) Red Foxes are constantly is competition with other native animals on Australia, the more they eat the less food there is for the native animals. Sense there is no known natural predator in Australia for the Red Foxes, human containment or natural death are the only ways to keep these animals at a steady number. If the government fails to keep a handle on the population of this animals there is no telling what kind of effects the over population will have the environment and the other animals in