Around this time last year a fox was taking chickens in Oxenford in the Mendooran Ct area at the top of Brentwood Terrace. A member of our Neighbourhood Watch group - an ex-veterinary nurse - thought the fox looked diseased (mange) and was in contact with the RSPCA. The RSPCA investigated, said that the fox was most probably living in the drains and the setting of traps for relocation was discussed.
Then in early February 2010 we had the floods and the fox was never seen again - we all drew the conclusion that it drowned in the drain.
However...I received an email today (22nd November) from a resident at the Regatta Waters end of Riversdale Rd...
"We believe we had a fox in our yard last night (Nov 17th) around 1:30am that we disturbed in the process of removing a deceased chicken. Six others had been very badly scruffed around the neck (2 others dying from this), but not like what a domestic dog would do. We also have two dogs who slept through the whole thing only metres away. The fox returned the following night (Nov 18th) - dug under the fence - but our chooks were locked away."
When I sent out an email notice about this to the 200 or so residents on our emailing list, I received this from another resident...
"Just confirming your suspicion about the Fox given that I recently saw the carcass of a rather large Hare which had been attacked and severely ravaged when I was taking my daily walk around the Regatta Waters Lake walking track last week (probably 5 pm-ish last Wednesday 17th Nov.). The mangled carcass was located just on the grass just off the walking track on the Coomera River side of the walking track at the eastern end of the track just adjacent to where the 'work-out equipment' is located.
The carcass was simply 4 x furry longish legs with a limp fury head because the entire torso of the animal had been savagely eaten away leaving just the skeletal remains of the animal. (it looked pretty gruesome even for something a simple as a hare carcass).
I would think that the area close to where the hare carcass was located would probably be the ideal place for a fox or feral animal to hang out as there is plenty of long grass to conceal itself and also quite a few medium sized and larger riverfront trees to climb up or live close to as this is quite a fair distance away from the walking track once the path bends away to head east to the top of the lake."
So, if you have spotted a fox or signs of fox activity in Oxenford, please email us so that we can map its territory. A fox's territory is usually about 2-5 square kilometres as the two 'sightings' above would appear to confirm.
We could then pass this information on to the RSPCA who will hopefully be able to trap the animal and move it to a more suitable rural area.
We could then pass this information on to the RSPCA who will hopefully be able to trap the animal and move it to a more suitable rural area.
