Trainee dog handler Zoe Kellett with Blaze, who is trained to hunt out foxes.
DOGS and humans alike are being trained to keep Phillip Island fox-free, with Phillip Island Nature Parks expanding its conservation dog team.
Nature Parks received $50,000 from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Nature Fund and matched support from the Penguin Foundation to recruit a trainee dog handler to improve the response and capability of the conservation dog team.
This year, new trainer Zoe Kellett joined Craig Bester, who brings over 40 years of expertise in conservation dog training and handling.
Zoe and Craig are working with the next generation of detection dogs: Marbee, Milly, Macey and Blaze.
Nature Parks received $50,000 from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Nature Fund and matched support from the Penguin Foundation to recruit a trainee dog handler to improve the response and capability of the conservation dog team.
This year, new trainer Zoe Kellett joined Craig Bester, who brings over 40 years of expertise in conservation dog training and handling.
Zoe and Craig are working with the next generation of detection dogs: Marbee, Milly, Macey and Blaze.
Veteran dog trainer Craig Bester with Milly.
Phillip Island was declared fox-free in 2017 after 25 years of extensive eradication programs by Nature Parks and local conservation efforts.
Since then there have been two confirmed fox incursions on the island, prompting an immediate response from the conservation team. In 2022 a fox was captured following a two-month hunt, following reports of chicken killings near the penguin colony. It’s not known how the fox evaded the security system but it may have swum to the island.
Since then there have been two confirmed fox incursions on the island, prompting an immediate response from the conservation team. In 2022 a fox was captured following a two-month hunt, following reports of chicken killings near the penguin colony. It’s not known how the fox evaded the security system but it may have swum to the island.
Zoe and Macey. Dogs and trainers walk up to 50km a week in search of trouble. Earlier this year, the dogs searched for another fox after a series of sightings were reported by the public. Over three weeks, the team used night surveillance and thermal equipment to locate the fox, which was humanely euthanised.
Dogs and handlers walk up to 50 km each week, searching priority sites for signs of predators. This targeted monitoring supports the protection of little penguins and threatened species such as Eastern barred bandicoots and fairy terns while complementing other conservation projects across the island, such as habitat restoration and threatened species monitoring.
Foxes and feral cats collectively kill 2.6 billion native animals and birds in Australia each year.
Nature Parks general manager conservation Stuart Murphy said removing foxes is a priority.
Other control measures include a buffer zone on the mainland to reduce the threat of reinvasion, night vision equipment and a ‘Foxcam’ on the Phillip Island bridge.
“Remaining fox-free and continuing to reduce the threat of feral cats on the island has allowed us to reintroduce native species, including the Eastern barred bandicoot and bush stone-curlew, as part of our threatened species program.”
The Penguin Foundation this week launched a campaign to raise $40,000 to support the further expansion of the program. Executive officer Rebecca Passlow said the expanded program would help secure the future of the little penguin, which is in decline in other areas across Australia due to predation by feral animals.
The program also supports rewilding programs for threatened species such as the bush stone-curlew and the Eastern barred bandicoot.
Donations can be made at: www.penguinfoundation.org.au/appeal
Source: Phillip Island Nature Parks
Milly has a nose for feral cats.