The diet of cats, Felis catus, on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Tidemann ◽  
HD Yorkston ◽  
AJ Russack
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Invertebrate Animals

Cats, Felis catus, were taken to Christmas Island (10�25'S,105�40'E) in the Indian Ocean at the time of first settlement in 1888 and a feral population became established soon thereafter. In 1988 a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate animals was present in the diet of these feral cats, but flying-foxes, Pteropus melanotus, fruit pigeons, Ducula whartoni, and introduced rats, Rattus rattus, together constituted 80% of their food intake by weight. Of the guts examined, 45% contained R. rattus, and this species accounted for 31% of food intake by weight. Less than 10% of cat guts contained P. melanotus and D. whartoni, but the large body weights of these species meant that by weight they made up 21% and 28% respectively. Mus musculus was found in 27% of guts examined, although it contributed only 2% by weight. It is likely that the large numbers of feral cats present in vegetative regrowth on mined areas are related to the ease with which all four primary prey species may be caught there. No evidence was found that cats are having a deleterious effect on native species and they may well be beneficial in stabilising the numbers of R. rattus, which itself can be a serious predator of nesting birds.

scholarly journals Seasonal and spatial shifts in feral cat predation on native seabirds vs. non-native rats on Mikura Island, Japan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarara Azumi ◽  
Yuya Watari ◽  
Nariko Oka ◽  
Tadashi Miyashita
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Invasive Predators

Abstract Understanding how invasive predators impact native species is essential for the development of effective control strategies, especially in insular environments where alternative non-native prey species exist. We examined seasonal and spatial shifts in diet of feral cat Felis silvestris catus focusing on the predation on native streaked shearwaters, Calonectris leucomelas, and introduced rats, Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus, which are alternative prey to shearwaters, on Mikura Island, Japan. Streaked shearwaters breed at low elevations on the island from spring to autumn, whereas rats inhabit the island throughout the year, which makes them an alternative prey when native shearwaters are absent. Fecal analysis revealed that feral cats dramatically shifted their diets from introduced rats in winter to streaked shearwaters in seabird-season in low elevation areas of the island, while cats preyed on rats throughout the year at high altitudes on the island. This finding suggests that feral cats selectively prey on shearwaters. This is probably because of their large body size and less cautious behavior, and because introduced rats sustain the cat population when shearwaters are absent. The number of streaked shearwaters killed was estimated to be 313 individuals per cat per year, which represents an indication of top-down effects of feral cats on streaked shearwaters. Further studies on the demographic parameters and interspecific interactions of the three species are required to enable effective cat management for the conservation of streaked shearwaters on this island.

Evidence for a single panmictic and genetically diverse population of the coconut crab Birgus latro (Decapoda: Anomura: Coenobitidae) on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165
Author(s):  
C. Anagnostou ◽  
C. D. Schubart
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Road Mortality ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Conservation Units ◽  
Population Genetic Analysis ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Indian Ocean

For the coconut crab Birgus latro, Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean may be one of the last retreats where populations of this declining species are not threatened by overharvesting, as on many other mostly tropical Indo-Pacific islands within the species’ wide range. Nevertheless, the population on Christmas Island has experienced severe losses during the past decade owing to habitat destruction and road mortality. To assess the population’s evolutionary potential and identify the number of conservation units, we conducted a combined morphometric and population genetic analysis using microsatellite markers. The findings suggest that the population is genetically diverse and panmictic. Neither genetic nor morphometric analyses revealed any population substructuring. There was no genetic evidence for sex-biased dispersal. Single-sample estimators for the effective population size (Ne) ranged from 492 to infinity, with very wide confidence intervals; they should therefore be viewed with caution. It would be advisable to reanalyse Ne, preferably by temporal methods. Despite mixed results, there is stronger evidence against rather than for the occurrence of a recent genetic bottleneck. So far, the population of B. latro on Christmas Island may be considered as a single conservation management unit, this way simplifying future conservation efforts taken for this magnificent species.

Translocation Of Mala (Lagorchestes Hirsutus) From The Tanami Desert, Northern Territory To Trimouille Island, Western Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Langford ◽  
AA Burbidge
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Red List ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Conservation Park ◽  
Red List Categories ◽  
Black Rats

In June 1998, 30 mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus undescribed central Australian subspecies) were translocated from a semi-captive colony in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory to Trimouille Island, part of the Montebello Islands Conservation Park, off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia. Mala are ?Extinct in the Wild? according to IUCN (1994, 2000) Red List Categories and Criteria. The translocation was made possible by the eradication of black rats (Rattus rattus) and confirmation of the absence of feral cats (Felis catus), which were recorded on the island in the 1970s. Post-release monitoring up to October 2001 showed that mala were breeding and expanding the area occupied.

The diet of feral house cats (Felis catus) at a regional rubbish tip, Victoria

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Live Prey ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Dietary Breadth ◽  
Bone Fragments ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Potential Impact

The diet of feral cats (Felis catus) inhabiting a regional rubbish tip (dump) in Victoria was studied to determine whether cats utilised garbage or live prey from the surrounding heathlands for food. Between 30 and 50 cat scats were collected from the tip over two years in each of four sampling periods: spring 1997, autumn 1998, spring 1998 and autumn 1999. The scats were analysed to determine major dietary components, dietary breadth and seasonal overlap of diet. Bone fragments from meat scraps were the most frequent dietary item detected in the scats. Vertebrate prey species occurred less often in the cats' diet but a variety of both introduced and native species were represented. Analysis of dietary breadth confirmed that cats selected mainly meat and chicken scraps from the garbage but indicated that vertebrates were hunted opportunistically. Control measures are suggested to reduce cat numbers at regional rubbish tips to relieve potential impact on native wildlife.

Eradicating Feral Cats to protect Galapagos Land Iguanas: methods and strategies

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Phillips ◽  
B. D. Cooke ◽  
K. Campbell ◽  
V. Carrion ◽  
C. Marouez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Rodent Populations ◽  
Black Rats

A three-year programme to eradicate Feral Cats Felis catus from the island of Baltra in the Galapagos archipelago achieved good results by initially poisoning with sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) then trapping or shooting the remaining cats. The poisoning campaign removed 90% of the cats, its success being attributable to pre-baiting with unpolsoned baits to accustom cats to eating baits and placing enough baits to ensure that all cats encountered several baits within their home range. This, together with the use of metaclopromide (Pileran) as an anti-emetic, overcame a problem associated with poor retention of 1080 in thawed fish baits that limited the dose available to 1 mg 1080/bait, a quality insufficient to kill large cats. Removal of the remaining cats was delayed by a weather-induced irruption of Black Rats Rattus rattus and House Mice Mus musculus that enabled recruitment of kittens in 2002, but made cats more susceptible to trapping and shooting in 2003 when rodent populations collapsed. Since July 2003 no sign of a cat has been detected on Baltra despite extensive searching and monitoring throughout 2004. As cat abundance has decreased there have been more locally-bred Juvenile iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) seen during annual censuses. However, such recruitment may reflect the increasing maturity and higher fecundity of iguanas repatriated from 1991 onwards rather than being a direct result of reduced cat predation alone. More time is necessary to determine the benefits of reduced cat predation on the Iguana population.

scholarly journals Feral cats do not play a major role in leptospirosis epidemiology on Reunion Island

2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Gomard ◽  
E. Lagadec ◽  
L. Humeau ◽  
P. Pinet ◽  
S. Bureau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Positive Sample ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
South West Indian Ocean ◽  
Réunion Island ◽  
Leptospira Borgpetersenii ◽  
Low Prevalence

AbstractAlthough previous studies have reported Leptospira carriage in kidneys and urine of cats, the role of these animals in leptospirosis epidemiology remains poorly understood. Using molecular methods, we investigated Leptospira renal carriage in 172 feral cats from Reunion Island, an oceanic geographically isolated island located in the South West Indian Ocean. Only one out of the 172 analysed specimens tested positive for Leptospira DNA through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Using this positive sample, we could obtain sequences at three Leptospira loci (rrs2, lipL32 and lipL41) allowing to report for the first time Leptospira borgpetersenii naturally infecting cats. Comparisons with bacterial sequences from both acute human cases and animal reservoirs revealed similarities with Leptospira sequences previously reported on Reunion Island. However, the low prevalence (0.6%) reported herein does not support any major role of feral cats in leptospirosis epidemiology on Reunion Island, contrasting with results recently reported on another Indian Ocean Island, Christmas Island. The significance of these discrepancies is discussed.

scholarly journals Bioinsecticides based on plant essential oils: a short overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 179-182
Author(s):  
Murray B. Isman
Keyword(s):  
Essential Oils ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Plant Essential Oils ◽  
The Past ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Regulatory Challenges

AbstractInterest in the discovery and development of plant essential oils for use as bioinsecticides has grown enormously in the past 20 years. However, successful commercialization and utilization of crop protection products based on essential oils has thus far lagged far behind their promise based on this large body of research, most notably because with the exceptions of the USA and Australia, such products receive no special status from regulatory agencies that approve new pesticides for use. Essential oil-based insecticides have now been used in the USA for well over a decade, and more recently have seen use in the European Union (EU), Korea, and about a dozen other countries, with demonstrated efficacy against a wide range of pests and in numerous crop systems. For the most part these products are based on commodity essential oils developed as flavor and fragrance agents for the food and cosmetic industries, as there are formidable logistic, economic, and regulatory challenges to the use of many other essential oils that otherwise possess potentially useful bioactivity against pests. In spite of these limitations, the overall prospects for biopesticides, including those based on essential oils, are encouraging as the demand for sustainably-produced and/or organic food continues to increase worldwide.

Evelyn Pickering De Morgan's Allegories of Imprisonment

1997 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-317
Author(s):  
Elise Lawton Smith
Keyword(s):  
Large Body ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
Feminist Perspective ◽  
Social Constraints ◽  
Still Life ◽  
Spiritual Transcendence ◽  
Wide Range

Evelyn pickering De Morgan (1855–1919) produced a large body of work, primarily paintings but also some sculptural projects, during a career spanning half a century. The great majority of her images include women as protagonists, often as allegorical personifications but with an unusually wide range of characteristics. She created women as members of a constructed and often constraining civilization, who exhibit at times a sort of drooping resignation, but she also represented women as powerful natural elements, actively in control of their destinies. Her art stands out as an attempt to blend metaphysical concerns about material embodiment and spiritual transcendence, grounded in the Platonic ideal, with concerns about social constraints and creative freedom that can be interpreted from a feminist perspective. By translating these fundamental issues about what it means to be human and, more specifically, female into an allegorical language that was unusual for a woman artist of the period (in fact, called “imprudently ambitious” by one critic1), she moved beyond the socially accepted “female iconography” of still life, landscape, and domestic narrative. Overlapping and sometimes contradictory attitudes toward the roles of women can be traced in her oeuvre, particularly in a body of images related to the theme of imprisonment.

Biology of the Feral Cat, Felis Catus (L.), On Macquarie Island.

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
NP Brothers ◽  
IJ Skira ◽  
GR Copson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Pregnant Females

246 feral cats were shot on Macquarie Island, Australia, between Dec. 1976 and Feb. 1981. The sex ratio ( males : females ) was 1:0.8. The percentages of animals with tabby, orange and black coats were 74, 26 and 2 resp. [sic]. Of the 64 orange cats, 56 were males . The breeding season was Oct.-Mar., with a peak in Nov.-Dec. The number of embryos in the 14 pregnant females averaged 4.7 (range = 1-9). The size of the 23 litters that were observed averaged 3 (range = 1-8). Kitten survival to 6 months of age was estimated to be <43%.

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