• Researchers working to decode the hidden chemical language of fox urine to manipulate their behaviour
• Researchers will aim to use existing scent signals to trigger behaviour from foxes to bait the animals or protect wildlife
• Foxes are one of the most significant invasive predators in Australia, killing hundreds of millions of livestock and native animals annually

Researchers at Charles Sturt University are investigating how they can use particular smells in fox urine to control the behaviour of one of the country’s most invasive predators.

Dr Anke Frank, Lecturer in Ecology in the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences based in Port Macquarie, is leading the research project.

Foxes rely heavily on scent to communicate, using urine to mark territories and signal to others about their identity, health and reproductive status.

Fox urine has been used for decades in pest control without a real understanding of what information it is sending or how animals respond to it.

“Our research is about unpacking that hidden chemical language, so we can use scent cues in a more targeted and effective way,” Dr Frank said.

“We’re trying to turn fox scent communication into a practical management tool.”

The research works in two steps:

• Decoding what is in a fox scent signal using chemical analysis to identify the compounds that carry specific messages
• Testing how foxes and other animals respond to those known messages in the field

“That allows us to enhance existing scent signals that deliberately trigger a desired behaviour,” Dr Frank said.

“For example, if a particular scent makes foxes investigate closer, we could use it as an attractant to help them find baits easier and thus improve controls.

“If we enhance scents linked to reproduction, we may be able to interfere with mating.

“On the other hand, scents that signal a dominant fox could be used to deter others and therefore protect vulnerable wildlife.”

Dr Frank said there is an estimated 1.7 million foxes in Australia, making them one of the most significant invasive predators in the country.

Foxes are a highly invasive introduced species, killing several million livestock animals each year and are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of native animals.

Together with feral cats, they have contributed to the extinction of more than 30 species of small- to medium-sized mammals in Australia.

The economic impact of foxes in Australia has been estimated at around $227.5 million per annum.

“Our research aims to make tools for trapping and baiting more effective by developing targeted scent lures that tap into how foxes naturally communicate and make decisions,” Dr Frank said.

“By making baits easier to find or more attractive, we can improve control outcomes while potentially reducing effort and cost.

“This has clear benefits for landholders and industry, including better protection of livestock. At the same time, it helps conservation by reducing predation pressure on vulnerable native species.”

Dr Frank is also joined by Dr Greg Doran from Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga and collaborators from the University of Tasmania and the University of Sydney. Partner organisations for this project include the Department of Primary Industry, Forestry NSW, Mid Coast Council and Wagga Wagga City Council.

This project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.