Cats and foxes kill 2.6 billion animals in Australia every year – Nature – Travel

Cats and foxes are animals that were not native to Australia, but together they kill 2.6 billion animals annually. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Diversity and Distributions. The study was conducted by 23 researchers affiliated with 16 universities and various conservation organizations led by Charles Darwin University. The researchers looked at 50,000 manure and made hundreds of counts in the field. In this way, they not only gain a good idea of ​​how many animals cats and foxes kill, but also get the consequences of these two predators together, where they are found a lot and what types of animals they kill.

The Australian zoologist is unique. There are a large number of unique animals that you will not find anywhere else. Just think of kangaroos, koala bears, emu, platypus, large long-eared bands, quokkas, kookaburras, blue satin bowerbirds and harpsichords. But Australia’s biodiversity is struggling. Habitat loss and wildfires are partly responsible, but the role that foxes and cats play in the disappearance of animal species is also significant. They are partly responsible for the extinction of 34 species of native mammals, including the desert kangaroo rat.

Both cats and foxes were introduced to Australia by settlers. Around 1800, settlers took cats to Australia and in 1845 released foxes into the Australian countryside to organize fox hunting there, as in Great Britain, writes The Conversation. They sit on horses and are accompanied by dogs, they hunt and shoot foxes. But because there are many rabbits and hares, which were also introduced to Australia before, foxes can breed very quickly without enough food.

Today, there are 1.7 million foxes in Australia. They are found on 80 percent of the mainland and on 50 islands. Only in the tropical north and in Tasmania did they not penetrate. Wild and domestic cats are more prevalent: they can be found on 99.9 percent of the mainland and about 100 islands including Tasmania. It was already known from previous research how many animals are killed each year for cats. The new research also monitors fox victims and the influence of predators together.

Foxes kill 567 million animals annually, of which 300 million are native animals: 88 million reptiles (all indigenous) belonging to 108 different species such as the Saharan skunk and loggerhead turtle, 111 million birds (93 percent original) belonging to 128 species. Including baby penguins, thermometer birds, and 368 million mammals (29 percent original) across 114 species, including a large number of critically endangered animals such as the long-eared sparrow, the short-nosed pandacote and the warro (a type of rock kangaroo). In addition, foxes eat a lot of eggs of birds and reptiles, which means that the reproductive success of these animals is much less. An effect that was not included in this study was not included because egg residues are very difficult to find in the stool.

Cats make it hotter. They kill 399 million birds, 609 million reptiles, and 1,067 million mammals each year. Combined, these numbers amount to 697 million reptiles, 510 million birds, and 1,435 million mammals. This means 7.2 million animals per day.

Foxes and cats have different preferences regarding the size of their prey. Foxes eat larger animals and smaller cats, but this means that the animals in the middle have what they fear most from predators because they prey on both.

The researchers say that measures are needed to prevent further erosion of biodiversity. They advocate a large-scale coordinated program to reduce impact. Cats and foxes breed quickly and travel long distances, which is why it is necessary to address the problem at a national level and in a targeted manner. There should also be more protected areas for native animal species.

Cats and foxes are animals that were not native to Australia, but together they kill 2.6 billion animals annually. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Diversity and Distributions. The study was conducted by 23 researchers affiliated with 16 universities and various conservation organizations led by Charles Darwin University. The researchers looked at 50,000 manure and made hundreds of counts in the field. In this way, they not only got a good idea of ​​how many animals are killed by cats and foxes, but also of the consequences of these two predators together, where they are found a lot and what kinds of animals they kill. . There are a large number of unique animals that you will not find anywhere else. Just think of kangaroos, koala bears, emu, platypus, large long-eared bands, quokkas, kookaburras, blue satin bowerbirds and harpsichords. But Australia’s biodiversity is struggling. Habitat loss and wildfires are partly responsible, but the role that foxes and cats play in the disappearance of animal species is also significant. They are partially responsible for the extinction of 34 species of native mammals including the desert kangaroo rat, cats and foxes were introduced to Australia by settlers. Around 1800, settlers took cats to Australia and in 1845 released foxes into the Australian countryside to organize fox hunting there, as in Great Britain, writes The Conversation. They sit on horses and are accompanied by dogs, they hunt and shoot foxes. But because there are many rabbits and hares, which were also introduced to Australia before, foxes can breed very quickly without enough food. Today, there are 1.7 million foxes in Australia. They are found on 80 percent of the mainland and on 50 islands. Only in the tropical north and in Tasmania did they not penetrate. Wild and domestic cats are more prevalent: they can be found on 99.9 percent of the mainland and about 100 islands including Tasmania. It was already known from previous research how many animals are killed each year for cats. The new research also maps fox victims and the impact of predators together. Foxes kill 567 million animals annually, of which 300 million are indigenous: 88 million reptiles (all indigenous) belonging to 108 different species such as the Great. Desert squirrels and loggerhead turtles, 111 million birds (93 percent original) belonging to 128 species including baby penguins and thermometer birds, and 368 million mammals (29 percent original) across 114 species including many endangered animals such as long sparrows Ears, short-nosed sparrows and warro (a type of rock kangaroo). In addition, foxes eat a lot of eggs of birds and reptiles, which means that the reproductive success of these animals is much less. An effect that was not included in this study was not included because egg residues are very difficult to find in the stool. Cats make it hotter. They kill 399 million birds, 609 million reptiles, and 1,067 million mammals each year. Combined, these numbers amount to 697 million reptiles, 510 million birds, and 1,435 million mammals. This means 7.2 million animals per day. Foxes and cats have different preferences regarding the size of their prey. Foxes eat larger animals and smaller cats, but this means that the animals in the middle have what they fear most from predators because they prey on both. The researchers say that measures are needed to prevent further erosion of biodiversity. They advocate a large-scale coordinated program to reduce impact. Cats and foxes breed quickly and travel long distances, which is why it is necessary to address the problem at a national level and in a targeted manner. There should also be more protected areas for native animal species.