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ISSN 1838-0417 ERADICATE definition: (v) to completely remove a pest from an area Image: Daryl Panther a newsletter for the Invasive Species Branch ISSUE 12 SPECIAL CAT MANAGEMENT ISSUE www.dpipwe .tas.gov.au/invasivespecies Stop the Spread: Feral cats Tasmania’s Cat Management Act 2009 outlines the authority and responsibilities for the management of cats in Tasmania. It provides land owners and managers with the capacity to control cats found in prescribed rural, remote and prohibited areas. The Act also requires domestic cat owners to microchip and desex their cats. What is a feral cat? A feral cat is a free-living cat which has only minimal or no reliance on humans, and which survives in selfsustaining populations. Feral cats are different from stray cats, which partly rely on humans for food and shelter (which may or may not be provided intentionally). Feral cat impacts Feral cats are good hunters that are commonly thought to have a negative impact on native species, primarily through predation. However, only very limited research has examined feral cat impacts, especially in Tasmania, and the true level of impact is not clear. Feral cats have been shown to have damaging impacts on isolated wildlife populations, such as those on offshore islands. They have also been identified as a factor in the failure of some endangered species recovery programs. Research shows that feral cats may have positive impacts in some areas by controlling rabbit and rodent numbers, limiting the environmental impacts from these animals. cats is possible with careful planning and coordinated effort. Conventional control techniques of trapping and shooting have been successful in eradicating feral cats from some offshore islands around Australia. Any control effort should be focused on managing impacts rather than overall feral cat numbers. Defined management outcomes should identify the natural or economic values that are to be protected and program success should be measured against these outcomes. Effective, long-term management of feral cat impacts will also require management of the domestic cat population to prevent recruitment of cats from the domestic to feral population. IN THIS ISSUE • Taking action to manage cats Management options • Your invasive questions The effective management of feral cats requires collaborative effort across property boundaries. While the eradication of feral cats from mainland Tasmania is not feasible, controlling the local impact of feral • Are cats always the villain? Caught on camera. Depar tment of Pr imar y Industr ies, Par ks, Water and Environment • Tasmania’s Feral Cat Management Strategy • Reviewing Tasmania’s cat laws • WA cat law update Taking action to manage cats Feral cats present a big problem across Australia but here in Tasmania a number of stakeholders are getting their claws into the issue with positive results. In southern Tasmania, Kingborough Council has been working closely with other stakeholders to ensure the effective management of cats, both feral and domestic, in their community. In a recent community survey, it was found that Kingborough residents had a high level of awareness about cat management issues and were proactive in taking action to manage cat impacts. Of the households surveyed, 24% had at least one cat and most people reported that their cats were desexed. Only 5% of cat owning households reported having an unwanted litter of kittens. Your invasive questions In this forum we address your questions about cat management in Tasmania. It was also found that there was strong support within the community for increased cat control measures including compulsory microchipping and desexing of cats, limiting the number of cats per household, and cat-free zones in certain areas. The Kingborough Council has also produced two public service announcement ads for TV to promote the importance of microchipping and desexing pet cats. These ads are currently being shown across Tasmania. With the community working together, Tasmania looks set to land on its feet in managing the welfare of domestic cats while reducing the negative impacts of feral cats on the environment. Reducing the number of unwanted kittens through desexing of domestic cats is vital to stop a source of recruitment for the feral cat population. Many other councils are also taking positive measures to manage cats in their communities, including Latrobe Council, which has had cat management by-laws in place since 2006, and Central Coast Council, Image Daryl Panther. Q. Can I trap a stray or trespassing cat on my property? Q. Can I get assistance to cover the cost of desexing a cat? A. Under the Cat Management Act 2009, a landowner may trap a cat on their property if the property is: A. There are a number of places that offer reduced-fee desexing of cats for those in financial need. Contact your local vet, cat centre or the RSPCA to see if they provide any assistance. Some organisations, such as the RSPCA, also offer low cost cat desexing to concession card holders. A. Yes, under the Cat Management Act 2009 a person must not breed cats unless they are a registered breeder and severe penalties apply. • being used for primary production relating to livestock on rural land; or, • more than one kilometre from the nearest residence; or, • subject to a conservation covenant under the Nature Conservation Act 2002. DPIPWE manages cat breeder registrations and further information can be obtained by calling 03 6336 5320 or emailing [email protected] In general, if you live in an urban area and have a problem with cats on your property it is recommended that you first speak with your local council. Q. Do you need to be registered to breed cats in Tasmania? which recently worked with local veterinarians to offer its residents a subsidised microchipping and desexing program. The National Desexing Network may also be able to help find a veterinarian in your area who will desex your cat at a reduced fee. For further information visit www.ndn.org.au Tasmania’s Feral Cat Management Strategy In a collaborative project, the Invasive Species Branch and key stakeholders have been working together in developing a formal strategy for the management of feral cats in Tasmania. Feral cat distribution in Tasmania This map shows all feral cat records for Tasmania from the Atlas of Living Australia database (www.ala.org.au). Image produced on 27 Sep 2013. The ultimate goal of this work is to ensure that all efforts in feral cat management are achieving the greatest benefit for stakeholders, the community and, most importantly, the Tasmanian environment. The Feral Cat Management Strategy aligns with the National Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan and the Australian Pest Animal Strategy. It recognises that the management of feral cats requires effective coordination and cooperation by a range of stakeholders, including all levels of government, cat owners, animal welfare agencies and the community, and must be built on sound, evidence-based decision making. While the eradication of feral cats from mainland Tasmania is not feasible, positive results in feral cat management can be achieved locally. This requires carefully planned and targeted programs using best practice tools and techniques, run by stakeholders that have a good understanding of feral cat impacts and ecology. The Feral Cat Management Strategy is expected to be finalised by late 2013 and will be available from the ISB website at www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasivespecies Gathering baseline data Very little is known about feral cat impacts in Tasmania. Gathering baseline data about feral cat distribution and impacts will be vital for more effective management practices. The motion camera images shown here are from an ISB monitoring program undertaken in a Tasmanian penguin rookery. Are cats always the villain? Feral cats and foxes are often condemned as the cause of the decline of numerous native species in Australia – but could these invasive pests also be the saviour of some? New research suggests that on Australian islands, feral cats and foxes help control an even more destructive pest, the black rat. To work out which invasive species were doing the most damage, the Australian National University in Canberra created and analysed a database of all available research and found that native mammals were most likely to die off on islands that had rats, but not islands with cats, foxes or dingoes. As a result, they identified that in some situations eliminating feral cats and foxes could ultimately leave native mammals more vulnerable to predation, competition, and ultimately extinction. Reviewing Tasmania’s Cat Laws To plan successful eradication campaigns, managers must first understand how introduced predators interact with native fauna and with each other. For instance, cats and foxes are infamous for hunting birds and other wildlife, but they can also control rats, which are also ferocious killers and compete with native animals like bandicoots. One year after Tasmania’s new cat management laws began the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment is taking the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the legislation through a formal review. The review will give stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on the existing legislation and to suggest any areas where they feel there could be improvements. To date, few studies have looked at which type of predator is actually most likely to drive native animals extinct. Without first gaining this understanding, eradication efforts can run the risk of resulting in some unexpected and unwanted consequences. Specifically, the review aims to: • assess the adequacy of existing management arrangements under the Cat Management Act 2009 and Cat Management Regulations 2012; • identify inconsistencies or gaps in the legislation; and • identify responsibilities and expectations of major stakeholders. Reference: Hanna, E. and Cardillo, M. (2013). Island mammal extinctions are determined by interactive effects of life history, island biogeography and mesopredator suppression. Global Ecology and Biogeography. doi: 10.1111/ geb.12103. Effective cat management requires collaborative community effort and the review is part of the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to working with stakeholders to ensure Tasmania has the best possible legislation for cat control and management. This emphasises the need to take a landscape-based approach to managing invasive species and consider how controlling one animal might have flow-on effects to others. WA cat law update Image Daryl Panther. Invasive Species Branch PO Box 46 Kings Meadows TAS 7249 T: 03 6336 5320 F: 03 6336 5453 E: invasivespecies@dpipwe .tas.gov.au W: www.dpipwe .tas.gov.au/invasivespecies ‘Like’ the Tasmanian Invasive Species Facebook page to receive regular updates on invasive species issues in Tasmania. Following a two year lead-in period, Western Australia’s Cat Act 2011 takes full effect from 1 November 2013. From this date, all domestic cats over six months of age are required to be sterilised, microchipped and registered with local government. To help identify owned cats, they will also need to wear a collar and registration tag. Website Facebook BL10829 Feral cats and foxes have been the targets of numerous governmentbacked control programs with some varied results. This might in part come down to our understanding of the ecosystems involved. The ISB began contacting stakeholders for feedback in September and will also ask stakeholders to comment on a discussion paper to be distributed early next year. The review process is expected to be completed by mid-2014. Local governments will be responsible for administering and enforcing the legislation in Western Australia.