Farmers will participate in the eighth annual fox shoot this week in a bid to decrease damage caused to properties and native wildlife by the introduced pest.

Manjimup farmers Stephanie Carstairs and Jim Walker, shoot coordinators for the Manjimup Pasture Group, said foxes, feral cats and rabbits would be targeted across Manjimup this Friday and Saturday night through the Red Card program.

Ms Carstairs said the shooting, followed by a second in March, aimed to minimise the extensive damage to native wildlife populations, orchards and properties.

“They do so much damage — the more we get the merrier, ” she said.

“One guy up the road has just put a new avocado orchard in and they’ve gone through and eaten the sprinklers.

“However, they’ve got to be killed in a humane way.”

Red Card Program 2013 project manager Graham Murray said the program aimed to engage communities and encourage farmers to control fox populations.

The program is sponsored by company Stockbrands Co, which will donate $5 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service for every animal shot and counted.

Over the past five years Stockbrands has donated $81,000 and Mr Murray expected a further $20,000 to be raised across WA this year.

He said research indicated about 2.2 million foxes roamed Australia and he hoped about 5000 would be culled in the next month.

“From a biodiversity and conservation point of view foxes are a big problem and their impact on farmers is massive, ” he said.

Glen Burston, of Manjimup’s Maroo Wildlife Refuge, said the Perup Sanctuary, which had a predator proof fence, was an example of the impact of foxes and feral cats.

Mr Burston said foxes and feral cats were eradicated from the area and just two years after woylies were re-introduced the population had doubled.

An official animal count will take place at Rea Park, Manjimup, on Sunday from 9.30am. For more information call Jim on 9771 2851.