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EnvironmentQuiet 4d · day 4

One in six Australians mistake foxes for native animals, survey finds

A poll of 5,000 people across three states reveals widespread confusion about which species belong in Australia.

newest coverage 3d agosummary written 3d ago2 pieces11 likes & upvotes MastodonGoogle News

What to know

  • A survey of 5,000 Australians found one in six incorrectly believe red foxes are native, and one in three don't know quolls are native wildlife.
  • Ecologists warn this reflects a dangerous disconnect—as native species disappear from daily life, extinction becomes 'normal' to new generations before animals fully vanish.
  • Quolls, once common in Sydney and Melbourne until the 1950s–60s, are now so rare that most Australians have virtually no chance of encountering them in the wild.

“It's wild. Foxes and cats were among the country's most destructive introduced mammals, while the quoll – a unique native predator – was arguably one of its most beautiful.”

Rob Brewster, Rewilding manager, Invasive Species Council · The Guardian ↗ · Sep 19

Invasive Species Council Conservation organizationRob Brewster Rewilding manager, Invasive Species CouncilDiana Fisher Ecologist, University of QueenslandEuan Ritchie Wildlife ecologist, Deakin University

One in six Australians mistake foxes for native animals, survey finds
theguardian.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in one hour at Sep 20, 2 AM; 2 pieces over 4 days (2 articles) Sep 20, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Mastodon 1Sep 20, 3 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 9 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 11 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 3 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 11 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 1 PM — quietToday, 2 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 4 PM — quietToday, 5 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quietToday, 7 PM — quietToday, 8 PM — quietToday, 9 PM — quietToday, 10 PM — quiet 1
Sep 21yesterdaytodaynow · 11:12 PM ET
  1. background

    Conservationists warn of extinction through generational forgetting — Rob Brewster, rewilding manager at the Invasive Species Council, characterized the findings as evidence that extinction begins long before a species dies—when it disappears from people's backyards and neighbourhoods. He noted that quolls, once found in central Sydney and Melbourne until the 1950s and 60s, are now so rare that most Australians have little chance of meaningful interaction with them.

  2. 1

    Invasive Species Council survey reveals widespread misidentification of native Australian animals

    A poll of 5,000 people commissioned by the Invasive Species Council and conducted by DemosAU across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria found that about one in six residents think red foxes are native, one in three don't know quolls are native, and one in five incorrectly believe cane toads are native. More than 95% correctly identified kangaroos and wombats.

    “About one in six NSW, QLD and Vic residents think foxes are native animals and a third believe quolls are introduced.”
    — Invasive Species Council