Red-tailed phascogale

Phascogale calura

Blamed on foxes

IUCN status: Near Threatened

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: Not assessed

IUCN claim: “Predation by feral cats is considered to be a severe threat over the species’ entire range, but has not been quantified. Predation by the Red Fox is considered a minor threat because of the arboreal behaviour of phascogales.”

Studies in support

Friend et al. (1996) reported a positive correlation between poison-baiting and phascogale abundance. Phascogales were last confirmed in the in the Canning Stock Route 0-6 years after foxes arrived (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Studies not in support

Phascogales were last confirmed in the Western Division of NSW 53-28 years before foxes arrived (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found evidencing a negative association between foxes and red-tailed phascogale populations. Poison-baiting is not a reliable proxy for fox abundance. In one region the extirpation record pre-dates the fox arrival record.

Evidence linking Phascogale calura to foxes. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Phascogale calura and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Phascogale calura, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of foxes. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Fairfax 2019. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Phascogale calura to foxes. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Phascogale calura and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Phascogale calura, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of foxes. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Fairfax 2019. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.

References

Fairfax, Dispersal of the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) across Australia. Biol. Invasions 21, 1259-1268 (2019).

Friend, J. and Scanlon, M., 1996. Assessment of the Effect of Fox Control on Populations of the Red-tailed Phascogale. Phase 4: Final Report: ANCA Feral Pests Program Project 18. Department of Conservation & Land Management.

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046