Fox DNA Project - Animal Biology

Welcome to the fox DNA project

www.foxDNA.animals.uwa.edu.au

freecall 1800 633 097

 

This project is supported by:

  

Thankyou for your interest in the fox DNA project. The feral fox is a major pest in Australia, costing $227.5 million annually. Using a novel DNA-based approach, we aim to provide key ecological data that will make fox control more effective.

Here, you can find details of how we will go about the research, how you can assist us by collecting fox samples , and also keep up to date with progress as the results come in.

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Attention!  We will finish collection of samples at the end of September 2007, so if you have any samples lingering, please post them in ASAP.  Thanks for all your assistance. 

*****Please note.  If you have any of the old sampling kits which are contained in non-padded envelopes, please click here*****

Contents

Aims and approach

How you can help - sampling foxes

Results (updated May 2008)

Frequently asked questions

Downloadable information (datasheets, poster, print-friendly version of this web page).

Oliver Berry's homepage

 

 

NEW!!

A black fox from near Burra in South Australia.

This amazing photo was taken by Heidi Nicholson.  It's thought to be of a young animal, and there is evidence that black foxes have been resident in the area for several years - suggesting that the black genetic mutation has been retained in the population for several generations.  Its difficult to imagine a black coat being advantageous in Burra!

More photos of this animal will follow shortly.  If you believe you have seen unusual coat colours in local foxes (even small differences in markings) we would welcome photos of them, and we will set up a page to display them.

A white fox from central Victoria. 

According to Dan Mudford (who took the photo), this is one of several white foxes that were resident in the area.  Like the black fox, this coat form is the result of a genetic mutation and that has become locally common.