Review of methods used to estimate the abundance of feral cats

Summary

Feral cats are believed to be responsible for the extinction or decline of native marsupials and birds in Australia and are listed as a known or perceived threatening process for 58 native species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Although many agencies and organisations commit significant resources to managing feral cats, there is little reliable information on the impacts of feral cats, or on the benefits of controlling feral cats: this situation is at least partly due to uncertainly about our ability to accurately and precisely estimate the relative or absolute abundance of feral cats, or the kill rates of control operations. The Department of the Environment and Heritage commissioned the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research to review and evaluate the methods used to estimate the abundance of feral cats.

See also

• Threat abatement plans