Aboriginal Australians have a history of living on bushmeat (bush tucker). I am told that they are good trackers and have a tradition of hunting cats, which can only mean feral cats as there are no other cat species on the Australian continent. The feral cats of Australia are there for one reason: people put them there many years ago. They managed to survive and some became strong.
In the Western Desert region of Australia the feral cats have adapted to the harsh habitat and they do well. Australia’s wildlife experts and conservationists are concerned that they prey on bilbies, a desert dwelling marsupial. They are small mammals and ideal prey for feral cats.
‘The experts’ have decided that one way to kill feral cats and protect bilbies is to work in partnership with Australian Aboriginals, which is the reason why we have a picture on this page of six Aboriginals with a dead feral cat.
This patnership is operating in the Kiwirrkurra’s community. They have a shop there, the only shop, where there is a sign offering $100 to catch and kill a feral cat. They proudly say that they have killed 100 over four years.
SOME MORE ON AUSTRALIAN FERAL CAT:
