The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential invasive predator in a Critically Endangered sawfish nursery

David Morgan; Karissa Lear; Jack Ingelbrecht; Travis Fazeldean; Trish Fleming

doi:10.1071/PC24009

Back

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential invasive predator in a Critically Endangered sawfish nursery

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential invasive predator in a Critically Endangered sawfish nursery

David Morgan, Karissa Lear, Jack Ingelbrecht, Travis Fazeldean and Trish Fleming

Pacific conservation biology : a journal devoted to conservation and land management in the Pacific region, Vol.31(1), PC24009

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/PC24009

Files and links (1)

pdf

Published1.37 MBDownload View

CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access

Abstract

green sawfish

Indian Ocean

nursey habitat

Pilbara

Pristidae

Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)

Fisheries sciences

Fish pests and diseases

Fisheries management

Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology

Rehabilitation or conservation of coastal or estuarine environments

Coastal and estuarine systems and management

Although the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is considered one of the most damaging and adaptive invasive carnivorous mammals that consumes a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, there are surprisingly few reports of red foxes hunting fish. We observed evidence of an attempted predation event by a red fox on a neonate green sawfish (Pristis zijsron) within a deltaic island in the Ashburton River estuary, a remote desert river in Western Australia. The site is a globally important nursery where newborn sawfish arrive annually in spring. Injuries to the sawfish included paw/claw marks on the head, damage to the rostrum, which is a formidable tool that is used for both defence against predators and for detecting and attacking prey, as well as a major hole in the head and damage to the gills, which are vital for respiration, osmoregulation, nitrogenous waste excretion, pH regulation, and hormone production. A series of tracks suggests at least one fox parades the shallow tidally influenced banks, with evidence of a green mud crab (Scylla serrata) having also been predated on. There have also been reports of red fox predation of sea turtle nests nearby. This is the first record of a red fox hunting in marine waters and one of the few identifying fish as prey. We suggest that a monitoring program for foxes, and possibly a control program, is warranted prior to the annual seasonal colonisation of this habitat by neonate green sawfish and nesting turtles, which may in turn reduce predation of sympatric species.

Details

Title: The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential invasive predator in a Critically Endangered sawfish nursery
Authors/Creators: David Morgan (Author) - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
Karissa Lear (Author) - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
Jack Ingelbrecht - Murdoch University
Travis Fazeldean (Author) - Murdoch University
Trish Fleming - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Publication Details: Pacific conservation biology : a journal devoted to conservation and land management in the Pacific region, Vol.31(1), PC24009
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing; CLAYTON SOUTH
Number of pages: 6
Grant note: Murdoch UniversityChevron Australia
Funding was provided from Chevron Australia and Murdoch University.
Identifiers: 991005731787107891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Metrics

2 File views/ downloads

21 Record Views

See more details