ABC Riverland Radio interview about fox fur
ABC Riverland SA Radio, 13/03/09 06.41pm
Compere Kathryn Jensen speaks with Matthew Godson, Project Officer, Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA), which wants the fashion industry and the Government to promote European fox fur from Australia as an eco-friendly fur alternative for export markets.
Kathryn Jensen: Now everyone’s interested in making a bit of extra money on the side, so what about next time, when you’re out shooting a fox, think about the potential of selling its fur to a wholesaler? The Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA) is calling for more promotion of European fox fur for export markets and Project Officer for the Association, Matthew Godson, says it’s a great way to help reduce the number of foxes here in Australia and also save Australian wildlife.
Matthew Godson: With the increase in the fox population and the increased damage in natural wildlife, we’re certainly trying to find ways in which our members can help and reduce some of the impact that foxes have and the utilisation of fox fur is certainly one way which we think that we can help our native animals out.
Kathryn Jensen: I understand that they’re looking for the promotion in a fashion similar to eco-fur products in New Zealand, from possums being a pest in the region. How has that been going on in New Zealand so far?
Matthew Godson: Well, in New Zealand, they’ve got quite an industry going. They actually have possum fur throws and cushions. They have knitwear and they also even promote possum fur baby boots because the possums over in New Zealand are creating quite a problem with their vegetation over there and it’s being promoted and supported by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and also encouraged by many conservation groups, including the World Wildlife Fund.
Kathryn Jensen: I suppose that’s one thing here in Australia. Animal rights people wouldn’t be happy if we start promoting fox fur in Australia?
Matthew Godson: I don’t think so, the animal rights group don’t really see the need for any animal to be utilised for fur, but in this instance, we have an estimated population of foxes at 7.2 million and if a single fox can eat 40kg of native animals every year, that’s a potential of 288,000 tonnes of native animals killed and consumed by foxes. It’s a hell of a lot of wildlife lost to this pest animal.
Kathryn Jensen: Where is the majority of fox fur coming from in Australia at the moment?
Matthew Godson: The majority of fox furs are coming from our agricultural areas, where the foxes prey on our native animals and also stock.
Kathryn Jensen: There’s a lot of farmers that have problems with foxes on their properties, could this be another form of income for them, to eradicate foxes off their property and then use the fur from those foxes?
Matthew Godson: Well, certainly there’s potential for a farmer to increase income, a fox fur at the moment, I think it’s about $15 a skin and if we can get it up to the levels of the 1980s, where you’re talking $30 a skin, it sort of would make it well worth going out for a night and getting a few dozen foxes off your property.
Kathryn Jensen: Matthew Godson, from the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia.
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