Today (September 4th, 2024), Tanya Plibersek, the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, issued a media release forecasting the release of a new national action plan to address Australia’s feral cat problems.
The national action plan will be a crucial step in the ongoing efforts to tackle the ecological threats posed by feral cats, which are responsible for devastating impacts on native wildlife and biodiversity.
Every year in Australia, feral cats kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs, and 1.1 billion invertebrates. Feral cats also spread disease.
Feral cats have contributed to two-thirds of Australia’s mammal extinctions and threaten over 200 threatened species, including the greater bilby, numbat, and Gilbert’s potoroo.
Tanya Plibersek made the announcement ahead of Threatened Species Day on September 7th.
Tanya Plibersek said:
“The Albanese Government is serious about protecting our precious native species – and that’s why we’re tackling one of their biggest killers.
“Feral cats are dangerous and ruthless predators, pushing our threatened native species like the greater bilby, numbat, and Gilbert’s potoroo, to the brink of extinction.
“Since declaring war on feral cats, we are mobilising artificial intelligence, cat trap technology and strong community action to combat this invasive pest and safeguard Australia’s biodiversity.
“We’re investing $60 million in groundbreaking projects that safely, quickly and humanely catch and eradicate feral cats. The projects also help land managers and farmers to better protect land, livestock and native wildlife from feral cats.”
New Projects and Technology
New projects and technology include the development of more effective and humane trapping, baiting, and fencing methods, as well as research into biological control options.
Bush Heritage Australia is testing innovative technologies across different Australian terrains—such as the Tiwi Islands, Yourka Reserve in Queensland, and Naree Station Reserve in NSW—as part of a $1.6 million project. These include using an AI-supported ‘cat audio deterrent’ that emits high-pitched sounds to create a virtual fence and a ‘humane animal net’ that traps the pest and sends an alert.
On Christmas Island National Park in Western Australia, more than 1,100 cats have been removed since 2022. One cat control measure is the AI-based Felixer trap – a box which uses lasers, cameras and AI to distinguish feral cats from native animals before spraying them with a toxic gel. Researchers are now exploring drone-based thermal cameras and eDNA technologies to track the predators.
Conservation group Thylation is trialling six high-tech conservation tools in various locations as part of a $2.1 million project. These include technologies allowing Felixer traps to detect feral cats in extreme conditions and using AI-operated gates so native animals can pass while keeping out feral cats. They’re also targeting other pests, including by testing noxious sprays, noise, and light alarms around rare bird nests.
On bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island in South Australia, the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board is removing feral cats from the 38,000-hectare Dudley Peninsula. They’re using Felixer traps, mobile-linked traps with real-time alerts, feral cat detection dogs, and running a community ‘call in a cat’ program.
The projects are specifically focused on feral cats, who do so much damage to our native wildlife. The plan focuses on feral cats but also encourages responsible ownership of pet cats, for the benefit of pet cats and wildlife.
Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan
The Government is currently considering extensive feedback on the draft Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan, due out later this year. The plan sets new goals, including to make sure feral cats do not endanger native species that are not currently threatened.
The federal government will launch a series of public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the environmental damage caused by feral cats. These campaigns will also promote responsible pet ownership practices, such as desexing and containing domestic cats.
State governments will not be forced to adopt the new rules in the plan. However, they will be required to work with the federal government to reduce cats’ devastating effects on native wildlife.
This might include state governments introducing laws that allow local councils to impose new pet restrictions.
Some new rules in the draft plan include desexing and registration requirements, household limits on cat numbers, night-time curfews for pet cats and cat-free suburbs for native wildlife hotspots.
Cat ownership legislation varies across states and territories.
Lane Cove Council Action on Cats
In February 2024, the Lane Cove Council passed a resolution declaring all Lane Cove bushland reserves to be Wildlife Protection Areas. The full resolution is below. Lane Cove Council has not passed a resolution adopting the formal policy referred to below.
| Wildlife Protection Areas | |
| 13 | RESOLVED on the motion was moved by Councillor Brooks-Horn and seconded by Councillor Kennedy that Council:
1. Declare its bushland reserves (areas zoned as C2 under the Local Environment Plan) as Wildlife Protection Areas under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 to prevent cats from entering these areas. 2. Develop a targeted education campaign for areas surrounding bushland reserves, to assist cat owners in transitioning their cats to stay out of bushland areas. 3. Council commit to, should trapping of cats be required, developing a formal policy and process to prioritise reuniting the cats with their owners and the exclusive use of No Kill Shelters if reuniting is not possible. 4. Council does not proceed with the trapping of cats until Point 3 has been addressed and adopted by Council such to include acknowledgement that Council has limited ability to hold cats found in bushland, Council establishes a register of residents who are willing to volunteer to mind or “foster” cats short term until reunited with their owners.
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| For the Motion were Councillors Bennison, Southwood, Roenfeldt, Kennedy, Flood, Bryla, Brooks-Horn, Mort and Zbik (Total 9).
Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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, Tanya Plibersek, the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, issued a media release forecasting the release of a new national action plan to address Australia's feral cat problems.){kind=link}