With feral cats killing an estimated 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs each year in Australia, governments are turning to increasingly creative methods to fight back.
In Queensland, where feral cats are found across most of the state, the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) has unveiled one of its more unusual tactics. This week, the National Parks team shared a photo online of a tall pole with feathers attached to it, asking followers to guess its purpose.
Speculation rolled in, but the truth was more surprising. The contraption was in fact a trap, designed to exploit the natural curiosity of feral cats, one of the country’s worst invasive species.
“Camera monitoring helps us get a better understanding of feral cat behaviour,” the department explained. “From observing their behaviour, we can adjust our control methods to make sure they’re as effective as possible.”
A DETSI spokeswoman told Yahoo News Australia the device has already proven successful, and is just one part of a larger suite of strategies. “Feral cats can pose a threat to native animals,” she said. “We use a number of methods to control and monitor feral cats across Queensland, including trail cameras. Trail cameras are helpful to monitor feral cats, other pests, and native species to help us understand how to best manage the area and protect threatened species.”
Nationally, feral and domestic cats hunt and kill 1.5 billion native animals. Source: Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Why are feral cats such a big problem in Australia?
According to the CSIRO, cats have cost the Australian economy $18 billion since 1960, with the bill mainly associated with attempts to control their abundance and access, such as fencing, trapping, baiting and shooting.
The state government has committed $2 million over the next three years to step up cat control and protect threatened fauna, with efforts including the Channel Country Threatened Species Partnership. The project spans 180,000 hectares in south-west Queensland and brings together twelve partner groups to reduce feral cat numbers.
Jack Gough, CEO of the Invasive Species Council, said the damage cats cause to Australia’s wildlife is staggering. “Feral cats and roaming pet cats are incredible hunters, incredible killers, and they’ve taken an enormous toll on wildlife,” he had earlier told Yahoo.
The impact feral and domestic cats have on Australia’s wildlife is estimated to be in excess of $18 billion. Source: Reddit/Australian Government
“Over 20 of our mammal species have gone extinct, with cats being the major driver. More than 200 species currently teetering on the brink of extinction have feral cats listed as a key threat.”
Gough warned that the cost of inaction would be catastrophic. “Without serious action to control feral cats in Australia, we could lose iconic native wildlife like bilbies, numbats and night parrots forever.”
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