Of course, the government will have to ensure that all domestic cats are inoculated (immunised) against the disease that they’re going to spread amongst feral cats.
I have no idea how they’re going to target just feral cats with an artificially created germ while avoiding all the other native wildlife species about which they are so desperately concerned and which they say is being wiped out by the dreaded feral cat.
If the plan is put into action it is liable to backfire extremely badly. They realise they have to do a lot of work on this in order to make it work but just thinking about it to me indicates a desperation and a hatred for the feral cat, which they put there in the first place.
Mr Hunt, the environment minister, has called for a survey to study how to use a virus to eradicate feral cats. Professor Woinarski, the co-author of a study into the impact of the feral cat on native species says that a virus was “probably the long-term solution that we’re looking for.”
He also states that: “it may take 10 or 20 years to develop such a system. In the meantime species will disappear, mammal species will disappear.”
He admits however that people aren’t aware of the magnitude of the problem and that he thinks that the Australian native mammals simply can’t cope. Note that he thinks this might be the case. It does not know.
As I understand it, the study estimates there are 15,000,000 feral cats in Australia with each killing an average 5 animals a night. Once again I stress that these are estimates. Based on these estimates the Australian government appear to be giving the go-ahead to slaughter the entire population of feral cats in Australia with a virus while ensuring that all other species of animal including the domestic cats are safe.
It smacks of madness to me. What do you think?
Every now and then, periodically and routinely the Australian authorities wheel out the usual diatribes and rants about the feral cat and how savage and effective they are at killing native species. They flounder in trying to find a solution.
What about a mass, well coordinated and well funded trap-neuter-release programme across the entire country? That would at least be humane and I suggest it would also be more effective. The timetable would certainly be within the 20 years mentioned to carry out mass extermination through what I seems like germ warfare.
What happened to the beautiful, exemplary protocols set by so many countries and states, of tending, caring for the colonies?
http://messybeast.com/ukferal.htm
“In Britain, deliberate poisoning of feral cats is not normally allowed as it puts wildlife and other domestic animals at risk. There have been cases of deliberate poisoning with rodenticide, but the use of poison is strictly controlled. There is the risk of scavengers ingesting the poison when eating carcasses. Harmless insectivores such as hedgehogs are particularly at risk from cat food laced with poison. Deliberate infection with cat flu or enteritis is also unacceptable. Contraception has sometimes been used as a short term measure prior to trap-neuter-release (TNR) schemes.
Because they are classed as vermin, feral cats (“nuisance cats”) may legally be controlled by shooting by the landowner or his agents. They many also be live-trapped (using human box traps) and euthanized. More rarely, a feral cat is shot by a trained pest control operative because it is untrappable and there is no safe alternative.”
Please read the rest of the article, those of you who haven’t already, for it provides some good information, especially the Trap-Neuter-Release schemes.
“Public opinion is generally against the wholesale destruction of ferals. For a start, vacated areas simply attract new cats. Also, there is a risk that indoor-outdoor pets may be caught up in the destruction.”
And again, you’ve got to be kidding me, Michael. Australia wants to release a virus to “sweetly, simply” eradicate ferals. What a bunch of hooey. Perhaps this virus could be modified to do you know what to you know who…
Anyone remember the cane toad????? And how can you create a virus while protecting house cats?? I think someone should create a virus to get rid of politicians and see if they can create the vaccine before they are eradicated !!
I don’t know what to say, except that this is an excellent alert to the ridiculousness of the situation within the Australian government.
Is the feral population within the colonies so large, that the idiots feel overwhelmed to do anything else –maybe something constructive?
You’ve never heard of the phrase “hunted to extinction”? It works on any species. Especially one as prolific as these man-made cats that can breed 3-4X’s faster than any naturally occurring cat-species. It worked where I live! HUNDREDS of them shot dead and buried to stop them from gutting-alive and skinning-alive any more of our valuable native wildlife. The eradication so complete and effective that I’ve not seen even ONE cat in over four years now. (Spread some more of your “vacuum-effect” lies and deceptions. I laugh every time.) Hunted-to-extinction sure beats those failed trap & kill methods. Because trapping can NEVER catch-up to their breeding rates. ******* (deleted because it is rude). If trapping and killing them failed, then what makes you think that trapping and sterilizing them will be any better? **** (deleted).
Shame and bizarre.
I can’t find the words to express my feelings about something so vicious and cruel. This insanity might even supercede my feelings about kill shelters.