Feral cat eradication on Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia

摘要

Feral cats are known to drive numerous extinctions of endemic species on islands. Predation by feral cats also currently threatens many species listed as critically endangered. Island faunas that have evolved in the absence of mammalian predators are particularly susceptible to cat predation. Dirk Hartog Island is no exception as cats have caused the local extinction of its once high vertebrate diversity. A programme to reconstruct the native fauna on the island necessitated feral cat eradication. In this paper we outline the strategy, removal techniques and monitoring methods used in this successful eradication of feral cats. Globally, the Dirk Hartog project has become the largest successful island feral cat eradication campaign attempted to date.