Diet of Feral Cats in Hawai?i Volcanoes National Park

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven C. Hess ◽  
Heidi Hansen ◽  
Daniel Nelson ◽  
Roberta Swift ◽  
Paul C. Banko
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
National Park ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Mauna Loa ◽  
Invertebrate Prey ◽  
Kīlauea Volcano

We documented the diet of feral cats by analysing the contents of 42 digestive tracts from Kilauea and Mauna Loa In Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Small mammals, invertebrates, and birds were the most common prey types consumed by feral cats. Birds occurred in 27.8?29.2% of digestive tracts. The total number of bird, small mammal, and invertebrate prey differed between Kilauea and Mauna Loa. On Mauna Loa, significantly more (89%) feral cats consumed small mammals, primarily rodents, than on Kilauea Volcano (50%). Mice (Mus musculus) were the major component of the feral cat diet on Mauna Loa, whereas Orthoptera were the major component of the diet on Kilauea. We recovered a mandible set, feathers, and bones of an endangered Hawaiian Petrel (Plerodroma sandwichensis) from a digestive tract from Mauna Loa. This specimen represents the first well-documented endangered seabird to be recovered from the digestive tract of a feral cat in Hawai'i and suggests that feral cats prey on this species.

scholarly journals The Effect of Fire on Bird and Small Mammal Communities in the Grasslands of Wind Cave National Park

1983 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 95-99
Author(s):  
Jon Forde ◽  
Norman Sloan
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
National Park ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
Mammal Communities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Prairie Vegetation

Specifically, the objectives of this research project were to: 1) Census burned and unburned grassland areas for breeding populations of birds and small mammals. Population censuses have been made on areas prescribed burned between 1973 and 1978 as well as the areas burned in the spring of 1981; 2) Analyze study transect vegetation to determine the impact of burning treatments on prairie vegetation and its relationship to bird and small mammal densities; 3) Provide usable management recommendations that will aid not only in vegetation maintenance but also with the animal populations associated with the grasslands.

scholarly journals Small mammals from Miri, northeastern region of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo: note on new locality records

Check List ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 1863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nursyafiqah Shazali ◽  
Sultana Parvin Habeebur Rahman ◽  
Nurul Farah Diyana Ahmad Tahir ◽  
Rafik Murni ◽  
Nurshilawati Abdul Latip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
National Park ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Northeastern Region ◽  
First Time ◽  
Mammal Diversity ◽  
Malaysian Borneo

Small mammal surveys were conducted at Niah National Park, Lambir Hills National Park and Gunung Mulu National Park, Miri Division, in the northeastern region of Sarawak, using ground-level and canopy mist-nets, harp traps, and cage traps. The main objective of these surveys was to assess small mammal diversity in the northeastern region of Sarawak. Gunung Mulu National Park recorded the highest diversity of small mammals with 29 species, followed by Niah National Park with 19 species, and Lambir Hills National Park, 17 species. These surveys revealed nine new locality records for Miri, including eight bat species (Dyacopterus spadiceus, Megaerops wetmorei, Nycteris tragata, Hipposideros cineraceus, Hesperoptenus blanfordi, Kerivoula pellucida, Murina suilla and Myotis muricola)and a squirrel (Sundasciurus brookei). Megaerops wetmorei is also reported for the first time in Sarawak.

Dietary overlap between sympatric dingoes and feral cats at a semiarid rangeland site in Western Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim S. Doherty
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Food Item ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Dietary Overlap ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Common Food ◽  
Semiarid Rangeland

The diet of sympatric dingoes and feral cats was studied in the semiarid southern rangelands of Western Australia. A total of 163 scats were collected over a period of 19 months. Rabbit remains were the most common food item in cat scats, followed by reptiles, small mammals and birds. Macropod remains were the most common food item in dingo scats, followed by rabbits and birds. Dingo scats did not contain small mammal remains, and infrequently contained arthropod and reptile remains. Cat and dingo scats contained remains from 11 and six mammal species, respectively. Of the small mammals, cat scats contained rodent remains more frequently than those of dasyurids. Dietary diversity of cats was higher than for dingoes and dietary overlap between the two species was relatively low.

scholarly journals Giardia and Other Parasites of Small Mammals in Grand Teton National Park

1989 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 125-127
Author(s):  
William O'Dell ◽  
Raychel Watkins ◽  
Aelita Pinter
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
National Park ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Microtus Spp

The objectives of this study are to document the effects of parasitism on vole (Microtus spp.) population dynamics and to determine the potential of small mammals in Grand Teton National Park to serve as reservoirs of human parasites. Immediate goals for 1989 were to (1) continue the documentation of the incidence and prevalence of small mammal parasites, (2) determine the age at which Giardia infections are contracted by the Microtus host, (3) identify ticks associated with small mammals, and (4) survey small mammals for Babesia infections.

Density and home range of feral cats in north-western Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh W. McGregor ◽  
Sarah Legge ◽  
Joanne Potts ◽  
Menna E. Jones ◽  
Christopher N. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
North Western

Context Feral cats (Felis catus) pose a significant threat to biodiversity in Australia, and are implicated in current declines of small mammals in the savannas of northern Australia. Basic information on population density and ranging behaviour is essential to understand and manage threats from feral cats. Aims In this study, we provide robust estimates of density and home range of feral cats in the central Kimberley region of north-western Australia, and we test whether population density is affected by livestock grazing, small mammal abundance and other environmental factors. Methods Densities were measured at six transects sampled between 2011 and 2013 using arrays of infrared cameras. Cats were individually identified, and densities estimated using spatially explicit capture–recapture analysis. Home range was measured from GPS tracking of 32 cats. Key results Densities were similar across all transects and deployments, with a mean of 0.18 cats km–2 (range = 0.09–0.34 km–2). We found no evidence that population density was related to livestock grazing or abundance of small mammals. Home ranges of males were, on average, 855 ha (±156 ha (95% CI), n = 25), and those of females were half the size at 397 ha (±275 ha (95% CI), n = 7). There was little overlap in ranges of cats of the same sex. Conclusions Compared with elsewhere in Australia outside of semiarid regions, feral cats occur at low density and have large home ranges in the central Kimberley. However, other evidence shows that despite this low density, cats are contributing to declines of small mammal populations across northern Australia. Implications It will be very difficult to reduce these already-sparse populations by direct control. Instead, land-management practices that reduce the impacts of cats on prey should be investigated.

A comparison of the effectiveness of camera trapping and live trapping for sampling terrestrial small-mammal communities

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha De Bondi ◽  
John G. White ◽  
Mike Stevens ◽  
Raylene Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
National Park ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Live Trapping ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Presence Data ◽  
The Cost

Context. There is an increasing reliance on the use of camera-trap technologies for surveys of medium to large terrestrial mammals. Camera trapping may, however, also have significant applications for broad-scale surveys of small mammals. Aims. The present study aims to compare results from camera-trapping surveys to those of the more traditional live-trapping techniques. Specifically, it aims to test the effectiveness of the techniques for detecting species, and the cost effectiveness of both approaches. Methods. Surveys were conducted across 36 sites in the Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia, between April and July 2009. At each site, independent surveys were conducted for small mammals by using a combination of Elliot and cage trapping, then camera trapping. Results for the two different approaches were compared for both their ability to generate small-mammal presence data and their cost effectiveness. Key results. Camera-trapping surveys of 36 sites in the Grampians National Park compared favourably with those of live-trapping surveys. Similar species were detected across the sites, and camera trapping was a considerably more cost effective than live trapping. Conclusions. Camera-trapping surveys of small terrestrial mammals may provide a new and cost-effective technique for surveying terrestrial small mammals. This is particularly the case when presence data are the main requirement of the survey, with no requirement to capture and tag animals. Implications. Given the cost-effective nature of camera trapping, there is potential to use this approach to increase the level of replication and spatial coverage of small-mammal surveys. Improving the replication and spatial coverage of studies has the potential to significantly increase the scope of research questions that can be asked, thus providing the potential to improve wildlife management.

Making a killing: photographic evidence of predation of a Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii) by a feral cat (Felis catus)

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn A. Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Adult Female ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
Photographic Evidence

Feral cats (Felis catus) have contributed to the extinction of numerous Australian mammals and are a major threat to many species of conservation significance. Small mammals are considered to be those at greatest risk of cat predation, with risk typically inferred from dietary studies. However, dietary studies may provide only weak inference as to the risk of cat predation for some species. The most compelling evidence of predation risk comes from direct observation of killing events; however, such observations are rare and photographic evidence is even rarer. I present photographic evidence of a feral cat killing and consuming an adult female Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii). This observation provides direct evidence that feral cats can kill prey up to 4 kg in body mass, with potential implications for the conservation of medium-sized mammals.

scholarly journals Bait Preferences and Population Status of Small Mammals in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2013 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander V. Kumar ◽  
Donald W. Linzey ◽  
Charles R. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
National Park ◽  
Peanut Butter ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Great Smoky Mountains ◽  
European Wild Boar ◽  
Mustela Nivalis ◽  
Smoky Mountains

Abstract Small mammal bait preferences and population status were studied in Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the summer of 2010. The possible occurrence of the least weasel (Mustela nivalis) in the Park was also assessed. Traps baited with peanut butter caught significantly more small mammals than empty traps or traps baited with potted meat. The overall number of small mammals caught was significantly less than in an extensive study in the Park during 1999–2003, although the effort (measured as trap-nights) for the two studies was similar. A drought that occurred between the two studies and/or the relatively recent appearances of the coyote (Canis latrans) and European wild boar (Sus scrofa) may have contributed to the significantly lower numbers of small mammals caught. Implications of climate change for small mammal populations are discussed. M. nivalis was not trapped during the study. Future, more intensive studies are recommended to explore thoroughly the possibility of M. nivalis inhabiting the Park and the effects of C. latrans and S. scrofa on small mammal populations within the park.

scholarly journals Small Mammal Communities After Two Recent Natural Fires in Yellowstone National Park

1979 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 128-132
Author(s):  
R. Moore ◽  
M. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Yellowstone National Park ◽  
National Park ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fire Policy ◽  
Natural Fires ◽  
Wilderness Areas ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities

As part of the National Park Service's goal of maintaining an area in as natural condition as possible, Yellowstone National Park in 1972 developed a fire policy whereby natural fires were allowed to burn in wilderness areas of the park. Several investigators have studied the relationship between small mammals and fire due to timber management practices (Gashwiler, 1970 and Tevis, 1956) but few studies have investigated the changes in abundance and composition of species of small mammals after recent natural fires (Bendell 1974). The purpose of this ongoing study is to quantify the effects that recent natural fires have had upon small mammal communities. Two burn sites were studies, the Divide fire which burned in 1976 on the south arm of Yellowstone Lake, and the Trail Creek Fire which burned in 1974 on the southeast arm of the lake.

scholarly journals Invasive species-driven trophic cascades: Are cane toads indirectly contributing to small mammal collapses across tropical Australia?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian James Radford ◽  
Leigh-Ann Woolley ◽  
Chris R. Dickman ◽  
Ben Corey ◽  
Dane Trembath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Apex Predator ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Apex Predators ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Tropical Australia

AbstractApex predators are fundamentally important in regulating many ecosystems, and perturbations of their populations are frequently implicated in ecosystem declines or collapses. In considering small mammal declines in northern Australia, most attention has focused on interactions between a mammalian apex predator—the dingoCanis dingo—and a meso-predator, the feral cat—Felis catus. Little consideration has been given to the possible implications of changed reptilian predator assemblages resulting from invasion by a toxic anuran invader, the cane toad (Rhinella marina), on small mammals. We used reptile removal records from licenced reptile catchers in three widely spaced towns in the savannas of northern Australia to explore potential impacts of toads on apex and meso-predatory snakes and large lizards. In addition, simultaneous fauna survey data from one town with reptile removal records, coinciding with toad invasion, were used to identify cascading impacts through the savanna ecosystem. Intervention analyses revealed empirical linkages between toad invasion, apex predator declines, meso-predator increases and declines of small mammals and other prey groups. Based on the timing and strength of intervention we postulate a novel conceptual model linking recent mammal declines with trophic cascades following toad invasion, where the loss of large, anurophagous (toad-eating) reptilian apex predators allowed increases in mammal-eating meso-predatory snakes. The conceptual model is discussed in relation to prevailing hypotheses regarding northern Australia’s dramatic small mammal declines. Future studies will need to quantify these putative interactions and test their comparative importance so that appropriate management can be implemented to stem the ongoing losses of mammal fauna.

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