Good morning all,
Thanks to the 20 people who participated in the poll concerning which species they considered the worst predator – Dingo/feral dog, fox or cat. I received 7 variations on the theme – several people split feral cats from house moggies but I have treated them all as cats. Two people listed the fox, 11 people listed the cat, 1 person said fox, cat, dog in that order, 2 said cat, fox, dog, 2 said cat then fox, 1 said cat, fox, man and 1 said man then cat. It is interesting that two people thought outside the box by adding what is probably the greatest predator of all, man! No-one listed the dog on its own.
In reality the fox is the greatest predator going by research conducted by former fellow researchers at the former CSIRO wildlife division (with all its different names). The prey that cats take ranges from invertebrates to amphibians, reptiles birds small birds and mammals. Foxes take much the same but are capable of taking larger birds and mammals, including lambs etc. Dingos/feral dogs will also take the same range of prey and can take down large mammals such as kangaroos as well as domestic stock but are generally less numerous that foxes and cats. Also there is the standard large predator takes on smaller predators to stop them from reducing prey species. Look at what happens with Lions versus Cheetahs versus Hyenas etc in Africa. Foxes will kill cats, especially kittens, if they can find them and the same goes for dogs versus foxes and cats. Those who went to John Young’s talk on Night Parrots may remember him saying, in reply to a question about cats and the parrot, that “dingos” keep the cats under control.
We could have also included feral pigs in the equation as they also take a wide range of prey as well as destroying large areas of habitat, especially in swamps and along water courses.
We tend not to think of foxes as regular urban dwellers but I have seen a program on ABC television that lists urban Melbourne as having the greatest fox population in Australia. They are regular in Canberra, just ask anyone who has lost chickens in night time raids by foxes on the chicken coop. My neighbour across the road, who is a smoker and who often has an early morning (3 am) cigarette, says he regularly sees a fox wandering up Maribyrnong Avenue, apparently totally fearless as it looks at him while he is smoking!!
As an aside to all of this, we are all aware of the ACT Government’s cat containment policy in the newer suburbs, especially those that border nature reserves. I can’t see any reason why this policy should not be broadened to include ALL Canberra suburbs. Most responsible cat owners should have no problem with this policy. How many houses in the newer suburbs are designed with a built on cat run? I doubt there would be any.
Thanks for participating and I hope this has shed a bit of light on the problem. The poll is now closed – Ian B, you only just made it this morning!!
Cheers,
Mark
