After Queensland attracted criticism for failing to join an “ambitious” action plan to reduce the devastating impact of feral and domestic cats on native wildlife, industry analysts say there may be hope yet, with some “encouraging” signs emerging it could reconsider.
Last week, Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced a joint national action plan to tackle the spiralling problem of feral and domestic cats, which was agreed upon by state and territory governments around the nation — except in the sunshine state.
Branding the move “disappointing”, the Invasive Species Council said this was “an opportunity for national unity on one of the biggest drivers of extinction” in Australia — one which farmers and rural communities are “deeply passionate about”.
But, there are some encouraging indications suggesting the newly-elected Crisafulli government may “reexamine” the decision to abstain from the plan, the Council’s Jack Gough told Yahoo News Australia.
“We were blindsided by that decision by Queensland,” Gough told Yahoo.
“This has been a really important process bringing all states, territories and the Commonwealth governments together on what is one of the greatest threats to our wildlife in Australia.”
Nationally, feral and domestic cats hunt and kill 2 billion native animals. Source: Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Encouraging signs on the horizon for invasive cat plan
It’s disappointing Queensland didn’t come to the table, Gough said, but he added he had recently “seen some comments” from Environment Minister Andrew Powell since, “which encouraged me” that he is taking the issue seriously and that “he’s prepared to re-examine that decision.”
Gough very much “hopes that occurs” because he argued national unity, leadership and funding “is what is required for this significant threat to wildlife.”
Powell hinted at the fact Queensland could reconsider its position if the dingo clause were removed from the national plan.
“We’re willing to collaborate, but we need assurances that the solutions won’t create new risks,” he said.
“We know that feral cats and roaming pet cats are incredible hunters, incredible killers, and have had this enormous toll on wildlife,” he said. “Over 20 of our mammal species have gone extinct, with cats being the major driver of extinction.
“Over 200 species that are listed as on the brink of extinction have feral cats as one of the key threats to their survival.”
The environmental toll from feral and roaming pet cats cannot be overstated, Gough added, saying that cats are responsible for the deaths of an estimated 2 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs every year and have driven over 25 of our native species to extinction.
“Without serious action to control feral cats in Australia we could lose iconic native wildlife like bilbies, numbats, and night parrots forever,” he said.
Why do feral and domestic cats cause such problems for Australian?
Feral and domestic cats in Australia are a major environmental, economic, and public health concern due to their devastating impact on native wildlife and the costs they impose on various sectors.
Cats, both feral and domestic, are apex predators responsible for the deaths of billions of native mammals, birds, reptiles, and frogs annually.
This predation has contributed to the extinction of at least 20 mammal species and continues to threaten many others, such as the bilby and numbat. Feral cats inhabit over 99 per cent of Australia, including remote regions and national parks, making their control challenging.
Domestic cats also contribute to the problem, particularly when allowed to roam, as they kill an average of 110 native animals per year per cat.
Cats transmit diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which costs the sheep industry $12 million annually through reduced lambing rates and other complications.
Toxoplasmosis is not only an agricultural issue but also a serious public health concern. The disease has been linked to miscarriages, mental health conditions, and neurological disorders. The estimated annual cost of cat-dependent diseases like toxoplasmosis to the Australian economy is approximately $6 billion.
Controlling feral cat populations through measures such as trapping, baiting, and culling has cost over $18 billion, making them the most expensive invasive species in Australia.
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