Predation of the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi) and other native fauna by cats and foxes on Mitchell grass downs in Queensland

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Mifsud ◽  
P. A. Woolley
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
Bearded Dragon ◽  
North Western

Examination of the stomach contents of cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) collected on Mitchell grass downs in north-western Queensland revealed that the diet of cats consists largely of native vertebrate fauna whereas that of foxes is largely carrion and insects. Mammals, followed closely by reptiles, made the largest contributions to the diet of the cats. Five species of small mammals, one of which – the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi) – is listed as threatened, and 15 species of reptiles, two of which – the striped skink (Ctenotus agrestis) and the bearded dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) are endemic to the region – fell prey to the cats. Foxes appear to pose less of a threat to the native fauna than cats, provided carrion remains readily available.

scholarly journals Similarities and contrasts in the diets of foxes, Vulpes vulpes, and cats, Felis catus, relative to fluctuating prey populations and drought

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Catling
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

The diets of the fox, Vulpes vulpes, and feral cat, Felis catus, were studied at Yathong Nature Reserve in semi-arid western New South Wales. The overall occurrence of rabbit was 45.1% in stomachs of foxes and 54.0% in cats, representing 51.3 and 82.6% respectively of the weight of stomach contents. Both predators exhibited a functional response to rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, (their staple prey) during the rabbit breeding season. Predation on rabbits was greatest on an increasing prey population during good pasture conditions and a decreasing population during drought. After the rabbit breeding season, diet changed to other prey and resulted in an annual prey cycle which was similar for foxes and cats. Both predators successfully co-exist in the semi-arid environment by primarily utilising different age groups of the same staple prey and to some extent different supplementary prey. Foxes mainly ate adult rabbits and cats young rabbits. During the drought foxes preyed heavily on adult rabbits; cats ate some rabbits but relied heavily on other food sources. The supplementary prey of foxes were invertebrates, birds, reptiles and carrion; small mammals and fruits opportunely eaten. Invertebrates, birds, reptiles and small mammals were supplementary prey for cats with carrion opportunely eaten.

The diet of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes L., in Victoria

1973 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 391 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Coman
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Plant Material ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Main Food ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Over Time

Stomach contents were examined for 1229 foxes collected in Victoria during 1968-70. Of these, 967 stomachs contained measurable quantities of food. The fox appears to have a very wide dietary range but is predominantly carnivorous. The main food items encountered were rabbits, sheep carrion, and mice. Lesser amounts of native mammals, birds, cold-blooded vertebrates, invertebrates, and plant material were encountered. For many foods, particularly insects, the intake was markedly seasonal. Regional differences in diet were also apparent. Much of the variation in intake of particular foods over time and between regions was explicable in terms of changing availabilities of these foods.

scholarly journals Road kills of vertebrate fauna in Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2019 ◽  
pp. 152-154
Author(s):  
Sohail Anjum ◽  
Hazrat Ali ◽  
Awais Ahmad ◽  
Farzana Bibi
Keyword(s):  
Gallus Gallus ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
The Road ◽  
Capra Aegagrus

Research on road kills of wild animals in the district of Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has not been previously reported. This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of vertebrate fauna road-kills on a heavily used 22 km long stretch of the road within the study area. A total of 65 road kills of vertebrate animals were reported during a 7-month-long survey period. Overall, road kills of nine species were reported with the highest percentage being domestic cats (Felis catus) and the lowest percentage being goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and fowl (Gallus gallus).

Studies of the Ground-dwelling Mammals of Eucalypt Forests in North-eastern New South Wales: the Species, their Abundance and Distribution

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Catling ◽  
R. J. Burt
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Widespread Distribution ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Eucalypt Forests ◽  
Abundance And Distribution

The distribution and abundance of ground-dwelling mammals in the major vegetation alliances in the eucalypt forests within an area of c. 24000 km2 in north-eastern New South Wales were examined. Data for 33 species of mammal from 21 areas containing 30 vegetation alliances were collected. Four notable aspects of the data were the absence or low abundance of the introduced fox (Vulpes vulpes), the widespread distribution and abundance of the cat (Felis catus), the diversity and abundance of medium-sized native mammals and the diversity of small mammals. Although differences occurred between areas and alliances, there was no significant difference in the number of native and introduced species. The ground-dwelling mammals present in the eucalypt forests of north-eastern New South Wales were more diverse and in greater abundance than those found in forests of south-eastern New South Wales. However, some species, such as the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), appear to be in urgent need of protection and management if they are to persist.

scholarly journals Small-mammal hunting by two ethnic groups in north-western Ecuador

Oryx ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Suárez ◽  
J. Stallings ◽  
L. Suárez
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Trapping Methods ◽  
Marsupial Species ◽  
Proechimys Semispinosus ◽  
North Western

A small-mammal hunting study was carried out in north-western Ecuador from October 1992 to October 1993, employing interview and trapping methods to document rodent and marsupial hunting by Chachi Indian and Afroecuadorian families. Based on 109 family interviews in 28 communities, it was determined that log-fall traps were used around family gardens and along forest trails. Afroecuadorian families used more than twice the number of traps than Chachis and trap lines of both ethnic groups were left open for approximately 6 days per trapping session. Chachi families left trap lines closed twice sas long as Afroecuadorian families. There were 857 individuals of seven rodent and four marsupial species trapped during the study, with Proechimys semispinosus representing more than 50 per cent of the small mammals trapped.

A Comparison of Predator Scat Analysis With Conventional Techniques in a Mammal Survey of Contrasting Habitats in Gippsland, Victoria.

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
GR Friend
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Scat Analysis ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Eucalyptus Forest ◽  
Contrasting Habitats ◽  
Cattle And Sheep ◽  
Mammal Survey

In Gippsland, Victoria, in pine plantations and the adjacent native eucalyptus forest, mammal population was estimated by the usual methods and by analysis of ffaeces of predators. Predators were fox (Vulpes vulpes), feral cat (Felis catus), dog and dingo. Prey species found in faeces included 1 monotreme, 18 marsupial and 10 placental mammals, including the predators. Remains of cattle and sheep were found, presumably eaten as carrion. Remains of plants, or of animals other than the groups noted, were not required to be identified for the purpose of the study, nor were prey species attributed to each species of predator.

Predation by House Cats, Felis catus (L.), in Canberra, Australia. I. Prey Composition and Preference

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Barratt
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Predatory Behaviour ◽  
Residential Developments ◽  
Prey Composition ◽  
Spatial Habitat

Studies of predation by house cats in Australia have not attempted to compare the composition of prey taken by cats with the relative availability of prey. Information on the composition of vertebrate prey caught by house cats in Canberra was collected by recording prey deposited at cat owners’ residences over 12 months. A total of 1961 prey representing 67 species were collected or reported. In all, 64% of prey were introduced mammals, especially mice and rats, with birds comprising 27% (14% native, 10% introduced, 3% unidentified), reptiles 7%, amphibians 1% and native mammals 1%. Predatory behaviour by house cats appeared largely opportunistic with respect to spatial (habitat) and temporal (daily and seasonal) prey availability and accessibility, although there is mounting evidence from this and other studies that small mammals are the preferred prey. While this means that introduced mice and rats are common prey of house cats in urban and suburban environments, it also suggests that in relatively undisturbed environments adjoining new residential developments, predation by house cats may have a substantial impact on locally abundant, patchily distributed populations of native fauna, particularly mammals. Imposing night-time curfews on cats is likely to lessen predation of mammals but will probably not greatly reduce predation of birds or reptiles.

Diet of the Feral Cat (Felis catus) in Central Australia

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Paltridge ◽  
David Gibson ◽  
Glenn Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Southern Half ◽  
Central Australia

Feral cats (Felis catus) occur throughout central Australia. In this study, we analysed the stomach contents of 390 feral cats collected between 1990 and 1994 from the southern half of the Northern Territory. Cats fed on a wide variety of invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals, including animals up to their own body mass in size. Mammals were the most important prey but reptiles were regularly eaten in summer and birds were important in winter. Invertebrates were present in the diet in all seasons. Carrion appeared in stomach samples during dry winters only and this has implications for future control of feral cats.

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