The value of camera traps in monitoring a feral-cat and fox reduction program

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
Graham G. Thompson ◽  
Scott A. Thompson ◽  
Andrew Bengsen
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Knock Down ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Reduction Program

Abstract ContextWe examined the effectiveness of camera traps to monitor the success of a feral-cat (Felis catus) and fox (Vulpes vulpes) reduction program near Ravensthorpe, Western Australia. AimsTo determine whether camera traps are an effective tool to measure a reduction in the abundance of F. catus and V. vulpes at a local scale. MethodsIn all, 201 Foxoff® baits (i.e. 1080) were laid along the edge of unsealed tracks for each of three periods (i.e. opened 13–15 May 2017, Period 1 closed 29–31 May 2017, Period 2 closed 12–13 June 2017, Period 3 closed 25–26 June 2017), and 98 bait sites were monitored by camera traps during each period. In addition, 150 baited cage traps were deployed to catch F. catus for the same three periods. Vulpes vulpes and F. catus were also shot in the adjacent paddocks before traps were opened and during the laying of traps and bait replacement. We used the first 13 days of camera-trapping data for each period to examine whether there was a significant reduction in V. vulpes and F. catus. Key resultsCamera traps recorded a significant reduction in V. vulpes images, but knock-down with Foxoff® baits was not as effective as in other programs, and there was no change in the measured abundance of F. catus. Numerous baits were taken and not recorded by camera traps. Multiple V. vulpes moved past or investigated, but did not take baits and a V. vulpes was recorded regurgitating a bait. ConclusionsCamera traps were not effective for recording bait-take events. Vulpes vulpes knock-down was low and slow compared with other studies, did not reflect the number of baits taken and Foxoff® baits appeared unpalatable or unattractive to many V. vulpes. ImplicationsCamera traps did not record a high proportion of bait-take, appeared to be insensitive to small changes in fox and cat abundance and Foxoff® baits were less effective in reducing the abundance of V. vulpes than in other studies.

A Comparison of Predator Scat Analysis With Conventional Techniques in a Mammal Survey of Contrasting Habitats in Gippsland, Victoria.

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
GR Friend
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Scat Analysis ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Eucalyptus Forest ◽  
Contrasting Habitats ◽  
Cattle And Sheep ◽  
Mammal Survey

In Gippsland, Victoria, in pine plantations and the adjacent native eucalyptus forest, mammal population was estimated by the usual methods and by analysis of ffaeces of predators. Predators were fox (Vulpes vulpes), feral cat (Felis catus), dog and dingo. Prey species found in faeces included 1 monotreme, 18 marsupial and 10 placental mammals, including the predators. Remains of cattle and sheep were found, presumably eaten as carrion. Remains of plants, or of animals other than the groups noted, were not required to be identified for the purpose of the study, nor were prey species attributed to each species of predator.

Increasing the target-specificity of ERADICAT® for feral cat (Felis catus) control by encapsulating a toxicant

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl A. Hetherington ◽  
David Algar ◽  
Harriet Mills ◽  
Roberta Bencini
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Ball Bearings ◽  
Target Specificity ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Selective Method ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Potential Exposure ◽  
Significant Difference

ERADICAT®, a sausage-type meat bait, has been developed for use in managing feral cat (Felis catus) populations throughout Western Australia. However, concern about potential exposure of non-target species to bait-delivered toxicants has led to the development of a technique to more specifically target feral cats using a pellet. Research into the consumption, by cats and native animals, of toxic pellets implanted within the ERADICAT® bait has been simulated using ball bearings as a substitute pellet. Results from our work indicate that encapsulating the toxicant may pose less risk of poisoning to chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), woylies (Bettongia pencillata) and southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) as they consumed significantly fewer ball bearings (P = 0.003, <0.001, <0.001) than semi-feral cats (P = 0.07). Theoretically, a toxic pellet will not reduce the effectiveness of the ERADICAT® bait as there was no significant difference between consumption of baits and the consumption of ball bearings in feral cats (P = 0.07). Therefore, baits containing a toxic pellet have the potential to be a more selective method to control feral cats.

Estimating feral cat (Felis catus) density in a rural to urban gradient using camera trapping

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-226
Author(s):  
Cara M. Hansen ◽  
Adrian M. Paterson ◽  
James G. Ross ◽  
Shaun C. Ogilvie
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Urban Gradient ◽  
Feral Cat

Camera trap flash-type does not influence the behaviour of feral cats (Felis catus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick L. Taggart ◽  
David E. Peacock ◽  
Bronwyn A. Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Camera Trap ◽  
Behavioural Response ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Behavioural Responses

Camera traps are now the most commonly used technique for indexing feral cat (Felis catus) and predator populations. Camera flash-type has been suggested to influence an animal's behaviour and their redetection by similar cameras, with white-flash cameras being shown to reduce the probability of redetecting some species. We investigated the influence of camera flash-type on the behaviour of feral cats by categorising their behavioural response to white-flash and infrared-flash cameras and assessing the frequency with which individual cats were redetected by the same white-flash camera or a different white-flash camera at the same site following their initial detection. We found no evidence that flash type had any influence on the cats’ observed behavioural responses towards cameras, or that cats captured by white-flash cameras avoided redetection. Our findings suggest that white-flash cameras are suitable for the detection and redetection of cats, and provide better-quality images from which to identify individual cats.

Degrees of population-level susceptibility of Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species to predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus)

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 645 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Q. Radford ◽  
John C. Z. Woinarski ◽  
Sarah Legge ◽  
Marcus Baseler ◽  
Joss Bentley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Mammal Fauna ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Introduced Predators

Context Over the last 230 years, the Australian terrestrial mammal fauna has suffered a very high rate of decline and extinction relative to other continents. Predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus) is implicated in many of these extinctions, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species. Aims To assess the degree to which Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species are susceptible at the population level to predation by the red fox and feral cat, and to allocate each species to a category of predator susceptibility. Methods We collated the available evidence and complemented this with expert opinion to categorise each Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (extinct and extant) into one of four classes of population-level susceptibility to introduced predators (i.e. ‘extreme’, ‘high’, ‘low’ or ‘not susceptible’). We then compared predator susceptibility with conservation status, body size and extent of arboreality; and assessed changes in the occurrence of species in different predator-susceptibility categories between 1788 and 2017. Key results Of 246 Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (including extinct species), we conclude that 37 species are (or were) extremely predator-susceptible; 52 species are highly predator-susceptible; 112 species are of low susceptibility; and 42 species are not susceptible to predators. Confidence in assigning species to predator-susceptibility categories was strongest for extant threatened mammal species and for extremely predator-susceptible species. Extinct and threatened mammal species are more likely to be predator-susceptible than Least Concern species; arboreal species are less predator-susceptible than ground-dwelling species; and medium-sized species (35 g–3.5kg) are more predator-susceptible than smaller or larger species. Conclusions The effective control of foxes and cats over large areas is likely to assist the population-level recovery of ~63 species – the number of extant species with extreme or high predator susceptibility – which represents ~29% of the extant Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal fauna. Implications Categorisation of predator susceptibility is an important tool for conservation management, because the persistence of species with extreme susceptibility will require intensive management (e.g. predator-proof exclosures or predator-free islands), whereas species of lower predator susceptibility can be managed through effective landscape-level suppression of introduced predators.

Estimating and indexing feral cat population abundances using camera traps

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Bengsen ◽  
John Butler ◽  
Pip Masters
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Gps Tracking ◽  
Range Data ◽  
Population Abundance ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Infrared Cameras

Context The ability to monitor changes in population abundance is critical to the success of pest animal management and research programs. Feral cats (Felis catus) are an important pest animal, but current monitoring techniques have limited sensitivity or are limited in use to particular circumstances or habitats. Recent advances in camera-trapping methods provide the potential to identify individual feral cats, and to use this information to estimate population abundances using capture–mark–recapture (CMR) methods. Aims Here, we use a manipulative study to test whether camera-trapping and CMR methods can be used to estimate feral cat abundances. Methods We established a grid of infrared cameras and lure stations over three pastoral properties on Kangaroo Island, Australia, for 15 days. We then reduced the population abundance with an intensive trapping program and repeated the camera survey. We estimated population abundances using robust design CMR models, and converted abundance estimates to densities using home-range data from GPS tracking. We also calculated relative abundance indices from the same data. Key results The CMR methods produced credible estimates of the change in population abundance, with useful confidence intervals, showing a statistically identifiable population decline from at least 0.7 cats km–2 before trapping down to 0.4 cats km–2 after trapping. The indexing method also showed a statistically identifiable decrease in abundance. Conclusions Camera-trapping and CMR methods can provide a useful method for monitoring changes in the absolute abundance of feral cat populations. Camera-trap data may also be used to produce indices of relative abundance when the assumptions of CMR models cannot be met. Implications These methods are widely applicable. The ability to reliably estimate feral cat abundances allows for more effective management than is generally available.

Feeding ecology and population dynamics of the feral cat (Felis catus) in relation to the availability of prey in central-eastern New South Wales

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Molsher ◽  
Alan Newsome ◽  
Chris Dickman
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Minor Components ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Central Eastern

The diet of feral cats (Felis catus) was studied at Lake Burrendong, central-eastern New South Wales, from July 1994 to June 1997. Mammals were the major prey in 499 scats that were analysed. Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the staple prey, while carrion was an important secondary food. Invertebrates, other mammalian prey, vegetation, birds and reptiles were generally minor components of the diet. Few significant seasonal differences in diet were found; however, invertebrates contributed less and possums more to the diet in winter and summer respectively. A significant dietary response was found to changes in rabbit abundance, but not for the other prey types. Cats continued to prey heavily on rabbits even after a 90% decline in rabbit abundance occurred, which coincided with the advent of Rabbit Calicivirus Disease (RCD). House mice (Mus domesticus) increased in importance in the diet ten months post-RCD. Although the abundance of cats was correlated with the abundance of some prey species, other factors may have influenced the observed patterns; these are discussed.

Biology of the Feral Cat, Felis Catus (L.), On Macquarie Island.

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
NP Brothers ◽  
IJ Skira ◽  
GR Copson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Pregnant Females

246 feral cats were shot on Macquarie Island, Australia, between Dec. 1976 and Feb. 1981. The sex ratio ( males : females ) was 1:0.8. The percentages of animals with tabby, orange and black coats were 74, 26 and 2 resp. [sic]. Of the 64 orange cats, 56 were males . The breeding season was Oct.-Mar., with a peak in Nov.-Dec. The number of embryos in the 14 pregnant females averaged 4.7 (range = 1-9). The size of the 23 litters that were observed averaged 3 (range = 1-8). Kitten survival to 6 months of age was estimated to be <43%.

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