There have been a number of tragedies with seemingly ‘safe’ enclosures as has been discovered by some members who have found out the hard way that their yards were not as safe as they thought they were.

Here are a few examples.

1.       The resourceful fox.   Two members lost joeys to fox attack, both yards were considered to be fox proof but in one case access was gained by a very small hole, and in the other the blaggard simply climbed the fence.    Never underestimate a fox’s agility or resourcefulness.

2.       One way traffic.    A very well designed (well, almost) enclosure with “V” shaped netting overhang on top of the outer fencing was violated by a feral cat.    It climbed a tree and jumped down into the yard from an overhanging branch.   Fortunately, it was unable to retrace its steps and was subsequently trapped and dispatched.    Not so fortunate was a Dama wallaby (Macropus eugenii) that  died later from toxoplasmosis, and “pussy” was the prime suspect.

3.       How firm is Terra-firma?   Not very, when it’s mud.    One juvenile apparently turned a corner too fast on mud and sustained a broken ankle.    More fortunate are the ones with good brakes and reflexes and those who tread green, or at least well-drained yards.

And finally – How far can you go with yarding and fencing?     Well, there must be limit, as one member concluded after losing a Euro from a bee sting!!