Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed

Leigh Ann Woolley; Hayley M. Geyle; Brett P. Murphy; Sarah M. Legge; Russell Palmer; Christopher R. Dickman; John Augusteyn; Sarah Comer; Tim S. Doherty; Charlie Eager; Glenn Edwards; Dan K.P. Harley; Ian Leiper; Peter J. McDonald; Hugh W. McGregor; Katherine E. Moseby; Cecilia Myers; John L. Read; Joanna Riley; Danielle Stokeld; Jeff M. Turpin; John C.Z. Woinarski

doi:10.1111/mam.12167

Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed

Leigh Ann Woolley, Hayley M. Geyle, Brett P. Murphy, Sarah M. Legge, Russell Palmer, Christopher R. Dickman, John Augusteyn, Sarah Comer, Tim S. Doherty, Charlie Eager, Glenn Edwards, Dan K.P. Harley, Ian Leiper, Peter J. McDonald, Hugh W. McGregor, Katherine E. Moseby, Cecilia Myers, John L. Read, Joanna Riley, Danielle StokeldJeff M. Turpin, John C.Z. Woinarski

Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

50 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

1. Mammals comprise the bulk of the diet of free-ranging domestic cats Felis catus (defined as including outdoor pet cats, strays, and feral cats) in most parts of their global range. In Australia, predation by introduced feral cats has been implicated in the extinction of many mammal species, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species.

2. Here, we collate a wide range of records of predation by cats (including feral and pet cats) on Australian mammals and model traits of extant, terrestrial, native mammal species associated with the relative likelihood of cat predation. We explicitly seek to overcome biases in such a continental-scale compilation by excluding possible carrion records for larger species and accounting for differences in the distribution and abundance of potential prey species, as well as study effort, throughout each species’ range.

3. For non-volant species, the relative likelihood of predation by cats was greatest for species in an intermediate weight range (peaking at ca. 400 g), in lower rainfall areas and not dwelling in rocky habitats. Previous studies have shown the greatest rates of decline and extinction in Australian mammals to be associated with these traits. As such, we provide the first continental-scale link between mammal decline and cat predation through quantitative analysis.

4. Our compilation of cat predation records for most extant, terrestrial, native mammal species (151 species, or 52% of the Australian species’ complement) is substantially greater than previously reported (88 species) and includes 50 species listed as threatened by the IUCN or under Australian legislation (57% of Australia's 87 threatened terrestrial mammal species). We identify the Australian mammal species most likely to be threatened by predation by cats (mulgaras Dasycercus spp., kowari Dasyuroides byrnei, many smaller dasyurids and medium-sized to large rodents, among others) and hence most likely to benefit from enhanced mitigation of cat impacts, such as translocations to predator-free islands, the establishment of predator-proof fenced exclosures, and broad-scale cat poison baiting.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	354-368
Number of pages	15
Journal	Mammal Review
Volume	49
Issue number	4
Early online date	19 Aug 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12167
Publication status	Published - Oct 2019

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Woolley, L. A., Geyle, H. M., Murphy, B. P., Legge, S. M., Palmer, R., Dickman, C. R., Augusteyn, J., Comer, S., Doherty, T. S., Eager, C., Edwards, G., Harley, D. K. P., Leiper, I., McDonald, P. J., McGregor, H. W., Moseby, K. E., Myers, C., Read, J. L., Riley, J., ... Woinarski, J. C. Z. (2019). Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed. Mammal Review, 49(4), 354-368. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12167

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title = "Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed",

abstract = "1. Mammals comprise the bulk of the diet of free-ranging domestic cats Felis catus (defined as including outdoor pet cats, strays, and feral cats) in most parts of their global range. In Australia, predation by introduced feral cats has been implicated in the extinction of many mammal species, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species. 2. Here, we collate a wide range of records of predation by cats (including feral and pet cats) on Australian mammals and model traits of extant, terrestrial, native mammal species associated with the relative likelihood of cat predation. We explicitly seek to overcome biases in such a continental-scale compilation by excluding possible carrion records for larger species and accounting for differences in the distribution and abundance of potential prey species, as well as study effort, throughout each species{\textquoteright} range. 3. For non-volant species, the relative likelihood of predation by cats was greatest for species in an intermediate weight range (peaking at ca. 400 g), in lower rainfall areas and not dwelling in rocky habitats. Previous studies have shown the greatest rates of decline and extinction in Australian mammals to be associated with these traits. As such, we provide the first continental-scale link between mammal decline and cat predation through quantitative analysis. 4. Our compilation of cat predation records for most extant, terrestrial, native mammal species (151 species, or 52% of the Australian species{\textquoteright} complement) is substantially greater than previously reported (88 species) and includes 50 species listed as threatened by the IUCN or under Australian legislation (57% of Australia's 87 threatened terrestrial mammal species). We identify the Australian mammal species most likely to be threatened by predation by cats (mulgaras Dasycercus spp., kowari Dasyuroides byrnei, many smaller dasyurids and medium-sized to large rodents, among others) and hence most likely to benefit from enhanced mitigation of cat impacts, such as translocations to predator-free islands, the establishment of predator-proof fenced exclosures, and broad-scale cat poison baiting.",

keywords = "Australia, conservation, critical weight range, diet, Felis catus, feral cats, invasive predator",

author = "Woolley, {Leigh Ann} and Geyle, {Hayley M.} and Murphy, {Brett P.} and Legge, {Sarah M.} and Russell Palmer and Dickman, {Christopher R.} and John Augusteyn and Sarah Comer and Doherty, {Tim S.} and Charlie Eager and Glenn Edwards and Harley, {Dan K.P.} and Ian Leiper and McDonald, {Peter J.} and McGregor, {Hugh W.} and Moseby, {Katherine E.} and Cecilia Myers and Read, {John L.} and Joanna Riley and Danielle Stokeld and Turpin, {Jeff M.} and Woinarski, {John C.Z.}",

year = "2019",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1111/mam.12167",

language = "English",

volume = "49",

pages = "354--368",

journal = "Mammal Review",

issn = "0305-1838",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "4",

}

Woolley, LA, Geyle, HM, Murphy, BP , Legge, SM, Palmer, R, Dickman, CR, Augusteyn, J, Comer, S, Doherty, TS, Eager, C, Edwards, G, Harley, DKP, Leiper, I, McDonald, PJ, McGregor, HW, Moseby, KE, Myers, C, Read, JL, Riley, J, Stokeld, D, Turpin, JM & Woinarski, JCZ 2019, 'Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed', Mammal Review, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 354-368. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12167

TY - JOUR

T1 - Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna

T2 - Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed

AU - Woolley, Leigh Ann

AU - Geyle, Hayley M.

AU - Murphy, Brett P.

AU - Legge, Sarah M.

AU - Palmer, Russell

AU - Dickman, Christopher R.

AU - Augusteyn, John

AU - Comer, Sarah

AU - Doherty, Tim S.

AU - Eager, Charlie

AU - Edwards, Glenn

AU - Harley, Dan K.P.

AU - Leiper, Ian

AU - McDonald, Peter J.

AU - McGregor, Hugh W.

AU - Moseby, Katherine E.

AU - Myers, Cecilia

AU - Read, John L.

AU - Riley, Joanna

AU - Stokeld, Danielle

AU - Turpin, Jeff M.

AU - Woinarski, John C.Z.

PY - 2019/10

Y1 - 2019/10

N2 - 1. Mammals comprise the bulk of the diet of free-ranging domestic cats Felis catus (defined as including outdoor pet cats, strays, and feral cats) in most parts of their global range. In Australia, predation by introduced feral cats has been implicated in the extinction of many mammal species, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species. 2. Here, we collate a wide range of records of predation by cats (including feral and pet cats) on Australian mammals and model traits of extant, terrestrial, native mammal species associated with the relative likelihood of cat predation. We explicitly seek to overcome biases in such a continental-scale compilation by excluding possible carrion records for larger species and accounting for differences in the distribution and abundance of potential prey species, as well as study effort, throughout each species’ range. 3. For non-volant species, the relative likelihood of predation by cats was greatest for species in an intermediate weight range (peaking at ca. 400 g), in lower rainfall areas and not dwelling in rocky habitats. Previous studies have shown the greatest rates of decline and extinction in Australian mammals to be associated with these traits. As such, we provide the first continental-scale link between mammal decline and cat predation through quantitative analysis. 4. Our compilation of cat predation records for most extant, terrestrial, native mammal species (151 species, or 52% of the Australian species’ complement) is substantially greater than previously reported (88 species) and includes 50 species listed as threatened by the IUCN or under Australian legislation (57% of Australia's 87 threatened terrestrial mammal species). We identify the Australian mammal species most likely to be threatened by predation by cats (mulgaras Dasycercus spp., kowari Dasyuroides byrnei, many smaller dasyurids and medium-sized to large rodents, among others) and hence most likely to benefit from enhanced mitigation of cat impacts, such as translocations to predator-free islands, the establishment of predator-proof fenced exclosures, and broad-scale cat poison baiting.

AB - 1. Mammals comprise the bulk of the diet of free-ranging domestic cats Felis catus (defined as including outdoor pet cats, strays, and feral cats) in most parts of their global range. In Australia, predation by introduced feral cats has been implicated in the extinction of many mammal species, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species. 2. Here, we collate a wide range of records of predation by cats (including feral and pet cats) on Australian mammals and model traits of extant, terrestrial, native mammal species associated with the relative likelihood of cat predation. We explicitly seek to overcome biases in such a continental-scale compilation by excluding possible carrion records for larger species and accounting for differences in the distribution and abundance of potential prey species, as well as study effort, throughout each species’ range. 3. For non-volant species, the relative likelihood of predation by cats was greatest for species in an intermediate weight range (peaking at ca. 400 g), in lower rainfall areas and not dwelling in rocky habitats. Previous studies have shown the greatest rates of decline and extinction in Australian mammals to be associated with these traits. As such, we provide the first continental-scale link between mammal decline and cat predation through quantitative analysis. 4. Our compilation of cat predation records for most extant, terrestrial, native mammal species (151 species, or 52% of the Australian species’ complement) is substantially greater than previously reported (88 species) and includes 50 species listed as threatened by the IUCN or under Australian legislation (57% of Australia's 87 threatened terrestrial mammal species). We identify the Australian mammal species most likely to be threatened by predation by cats (mulgaras Dasycercus spp., kowari Dasyuroides byrnei, many smaller dasyurids and medium-sized to large rodents, among others) and hence most likely to benefit from enhanced mitigation of cat impacts, such as translocations to predator-free islands, the establishment of predator-proof fenced exclosures, and broad-scale cat poison baiting.

KW - Australia

KW - conservation

KW - critical weight range

KW - diet

KW - Felis catus

KW - feral cats

KW - invasive predator

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85070807455&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/mam.12167

DO - 10.1111/mam.12167

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85070807455

SN - 0305-1838

VL - 49

SP - 354

EP - 368

JO - Mammal Review

JF - Mammal Review

IS - 4

ER -

Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: Inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed

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