Uptake of ‘Eradicat’ feral cat baits by non-target species on Kangaroo Island
Rosemary Hohnen
A E , Brett P. Murphy A , Sarah M. Legge B C , Chris R. Dickman D and John C. Z. Woinarski A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Ellengowan Drive, Charles Darwin University, Casurina, NT 0909, Australia.
B National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Level 5 Goddard Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
C National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School, Building 141, Linnaeus Way, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
D National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Desert Ecology Research Group, Heydon-Laurence Building, The University of Sydney, 325, A08, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: rosemary.hohnen@cdu.edu.au
Wildlife Research 47(8) 547-556 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR19056
Submitted: 28 March 2019 Accepted: 19 August 2019 Published: 5 December 2019
Abstract
Context: Predation by feral cats (Felis catus) threatens a range of vertebrate species across Australia, and cat-free islands increasingly act as safe havens for biodiversity. A feral cat eradication program has begun on Kangaroo Island (4405 km2) in South Australia, and poison baiting is likely to be one of the main methods used.
Aims: Here, we trial a non-toxic version of a cat bait, ‘Eradicat’, on western Kangaroo Island, to examine its potential impact on non-target species.
Methods: Non-toxic baits containing the biomarker Rhodamine B were deployed across four sites in early August and late November in 2018, with bait take and consumption assessed both by remote cameras and by the presence of Rhodamine B in mammalian whisker samples taken post-baiting.
Key results: Cats encountered baits on very few occasions and took a bait on only one occasion in August (<1% of 576 baits deployed). Non-target species accounted for over 99% of identifiable bait takes. In both seasons, >60% of all baits laid was taken by either the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) or Australian raven (Corvus coronoides). In November, Rosenberg’s goanna (Varanus rosenbergi) and southern brown bandicoot (south-eastern subspecies; Isoodon obesulus obesulus), listed nationally as Endangered, also took baits (3% and 1% respectively). The Kangaroo Island dunnart (Sminthopsis fuliginosus aitkeni), listed nationally as endangered, approached a bait on only one occasion, but did not consume it. Evidence of bait consumption was visible in the whiskers of captured common brushtail possums (100% of post-baiting captured individuals in August, 80% in November), bush rats (59% in August and 50% in November), house mice (Mus musculus) (45% in November) and western pygmy-possums (Cercartetus concinnus) (33% in November).
Conclusions: Although feral cat baiting has the potential to significantly benefit wildlife on Kangaroo Island, impacts on non-target species (particularly the bush rat and common brushtail possum) may be high.
Implications: Alternative cat baits, such as those containing a toxin to which native species have a higher tolerance or that are less readily consumed by native wildlife, will be more appropriate.
Additional keywords: cat control, eradication, management, 1080, threatened species.
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