From Victoria National Parks Association (10/4/24)…
Take action: Managing our purring assassins
Yes they’re cute, yes they’re furry, yes they kill around 323 million native animals every year in Australia. And that’s just domestic cats.
As nature lovers, we know how grave the impact of feral and domestic cats on our wildlife is. Cats have literally gotten away with murder.
They’re a main factor in the annihilation of most of Australia’s 34 mammals that have gone extinct since the 1780s. Today, they’re playing a major role in the decline of over 123 threatened native animals, and many other wildlife not yet listed as threatened.
The Victorian Government is creating the first long-term cat management strategy. But it largely neglects the task of reducing the impact and number of feral cats in Victoria.
It’s great that we’re finally getting a cat management strategy. But there are some gaping holes.
The strategy needs to:
- Focus on reducing the impact and number of feral cats in Victoria.
- Outline a plan for creating state-enforced laws mandating cat owners contain their pets on their property at all times.
- Rule out and condemn the ‘trap-neuter-return’ technique.
- Advocate for the use of the Felixer trap in Victoria, to protect animals like critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possums and endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoots.
- Reverse the ban of 1080 for controlling feral cats in areas of high conservation significance.
Or it may as well go in the kitty litter.
Right now the Victorian Government is asking for feedback on the draft plan.
|
