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Sad story about the phascogale, I also havr never seen a live one, let alone a dead one. Perhaps governments won't go overly public about the feral cat problem because there's just a touch of animal sentiment involved, i.e. cats are familiar as a pet to
so many people. It wouldn't take much to inflate this small amount of vague sentiment for moggies to a raging 'anti-cull' protest., thus making the whole venture politically unsavoury. Brumbies may be a useful analogy. The birds which fall victims on the other
hand are varied and diverse, whereas what the cause needs is a simple poster-child that people can relate to. Perhaps we should use a few well-known species of bird which are commonly taken by cats to promote their cause.
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-------- Original message --------
From: Suzanne EDGAR <>
Date: 7/10/2017 7:19 PM (GMT+10:00)
To: 'canberrabirds' <>
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Feral Cats
I realise.
From: Suzanne EDGAR [
Sent: Saturday, 7 October 2017 7:11 PM
To: 'Alan Cowan' <>; 'canberrabirds' <>
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Feral Cats
Have 4 different cats invading my bird sanctuary back yard currently, @ different times
Sz
From: Alan Cowan
Sent: Thursday, 5 October 2017 3:21 PM
To: canberrabirds <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] Feral Cats
Most people don't realise the numbers of feral cats in Canberra.
At my previous home in an inner suburb I regularly put out a possum trap baited with meat overnight and regularly caught large feral cats. In addition to birds, they also destroy small mammals, frogs, reptiles etc. I remember an acquaintance
in WA laughing genially when their cat brought in a dead phascogale. It was the only one I have ever seen.
No-one in government seems too worried. A couple of years ago it was announced that a specific person had been appointed by government in the field of feral predators. I contacted this person and pointed out that the South African National
Antarctic Expeditions service had eradicated cats from subantarctic Marion Island by introducing a cat influenza virus. He seemed uninterested. Most subantarctic islands are infested with cats. Macquarie is the shining exception, after much expensive work.
Barry Cohen who was a federal Labour government minister some years ago did show a keen interest at one time in the feral cat problem.
It's hard to know whether foxes or cats are worse: foxes are more conspicuous but feral cats are common and widespread. Both are undoubtedly appallingly destructive. It is hardly surprising that the Painted Button-quail, a ground nester,
is only occasionally present in the Stirling Park woodland: it is amazing that they ever maintain a presence there at all. My friend David Hollands who has spent much time in the outback searching for raptors' nests tells me that it is a common experience
to find one occupied by cats.
Would the COG consider doing some work on this problem?
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