Julia Creek dunnart

Sminthopsis douglasi

Blamed on foxes

IUCN status: Near Threatened

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: A threat

IUCN claim: “Exotic predators (especially cats and foxes)”

Studies in support

Julia Creek dunnart found inside a single fox stomach (Kutt 2003).

Studies not in support

No studies

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found linking foxes to Julia Creek dunnart population trends.

Evidence linking Sminthopsis douglasi to foxes. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Sminthopsis douglasi and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Sminthopsis douglasi, 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. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Sminthopsis douglasi to foxes. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Sminthopsis douglasi and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Sminthopsis douglasi, 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. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.

References

EPBC. (2013) Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by the European Red Fox (2008). Five yearly review. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Government of Australia (Appendix E: EPBC Act listed threatened species).

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

Kutt, A.S., 2003. New records of the Julia Creek Dunnart Sminthopsis douglasi in central-north Queensland. Australian Zoologist, 32(2), pp.257-260.

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