Few animals are as controversial as this one. cats. As much as they are loved by their fans, they are also hated by those who oppose them. Predators are intelligent, patient, solitary and relentless hunters. Fast, cunning, extremely agile, territorial and very greedy. Some researchers even suggested neuter all stray cats To prevent the great damage they often cause to native fauna. A proposal that drew both enthusiastic applause and fierce criticism.
Cats, especially stray ones, They’ve become a real problem in some places. “Globally, cats cause more species to decline or become extinct than any other invasive predator,” underlines the study recently published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology.
For this reason, What to do with cats? A team of New Zealand researchers conducted a study on the management of this species, reviewing current knowledge and research needs regarding this species.
The authors begin the report with a powerful sentence: “Cats (Felis cat) They are among the world’s most damaging invasive predators“Their work focuses on the particularly severe impacts of the strain in New Zealand.
Of course, they are also aware of cats as distinct from the invasive predators they intend to eradicate in that country. They are also “highly valued by people” and therefore they are likely to remain widespread in the future.”
“Therefore, any research into the control of cats must carefully balance their high value as pets with their harmful effects on native wildlife, as well as on human and animal health (particularly through the transmission of toxoplasmosis).” .
For companionship, stray and wild
The desirability of protecting native fauna raises the question of how to manage the impacts of cats, which include predation, competition with other species, and diseases affecting native species, livestock, and humans.
First of all, researchers They distinguish three different cat breeds. One is companion cats, which live with humans and depend on them for their well-being. Two stray cats who are only partially dependent on humans for food and shelter and live around human care centers and private homes. And third, feral cats that have little or no dependence on humans and survive independently of the companion cat population.
Problem: “There are currently significant knowledge gaps about the impact of the three cat species on the environment and the best ways to control and manage them, including effective management,” say researchers from the Manaaki Whenu-Landcare research institute. .
“Appropriate management actions will depend on the use of the land (urban areas or wilderness areas), the values to be protected (wildlife or human health), as well as safety, humanity, social acceptability and profitability,” the study states. .
By reviewing existing knowledge about the impacts and management of cats in New Zealand (the country with the highest rate of cat ownership in the world) and abroad, the researchers identified “knowledge gaps impeding effective management” and suggested research approaches to address these gaps.
Indirect ecological impacts
The priorities identified by the authors of the study are grouped as follows: four main areas:
–Improving methods for monitoring cats and their impact on natural, social and economic values.
–Develop humane, effective and socially acceptable methods to manage cat impacts.
–Collaborate with cat owners to improve outcomes for animals, people and the environment.
–Investigate possible indirect ecological effects of cat control, such as ecological release of prey or competitors.
“Achieving these research and predator-free goals will depend on detailed ecological knowledge, an understanding of current rules regarding cat ownership and management, an understanding of the relationships between cats and humans in different environments, and “most importantly, the careful creation and maintenance of a social environment,” the researchers wrote. He stated that any future interventions in cat management were licensed.
In development in New Zealand is ‘Predator Free NZ’, an independent charity established in 2013. Saving the country from invasive predators by 2050. For this purpose, serious predator control is carried out. “Caring for and protecting our natural environment is the key to our future,” the group emphasizes.
In Spain, just over a year ago, scientific staff from different institutions, including the Supreme Scientific Research Council (CSIC), published a letter stating: animal welfare laws should not protect stray cats due to the dangers of its maintenance to biodiversity.
“Domestic cats have caused the extinction of more than a quarter of birds, mammals and reptiles over the past thousands of years and are considered the most damaging invasive predators.”
Reference report: https://newzealandecology.org/nzje/3550
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