The Victorian state government has instituted a program that provides incentives for licensed shooters to exterminate foxes. In the FoxStop scheme, shooters go into a draw to win monthly prizes that include a flat-screen television, electrical goods and MP3 players. At the end of the year they get a chance to win a Mitsubishi 4WD.
Why foxes? The fox, an introduced species, has wreaked havoc on Australian native animals and exacts a heavy toll on farm animals each year.
According to farmer and fox shooter Bill Emmett:
You get a calf with no nose or ears, because the fox has torn them off … It’s not a pretty sight.
To date 3151 foxes have been reported killed and 853 entry registrations have been submitted as part of the FoxStop program.
[The Age]
