Jessie Moyses, Craig Grabham, Kyle N. Armstrong, Chris G. Knuckey, Brighton D’Rozario
{"title":"Feral cat predation of the threatened Pilbara leaf-nosed bat – a key threatening process","authors":"Jessie Moyses, Craig Grabham, Kyle N. Armstrong, Chris G. Knuckey, Brighton D’Rozario","doi":"10.1071/am23049","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Feral cat predation is recognised as a significant threat to Australian wildlife that has contributed to population declines and extinctions. Cat predation of bats worldwide is a growing concern, though there are few studies focusing on Australian species. We consolidated empirical evidence of cat predation on the threatened Pilbara leaf-nosed bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Observations in video and camera trap datasets demonstrated repeated predation of R. aurantia by several individual cats at three significant roosts. Between 2020 and 2023, we documented 183–200 bat kills at these sites. We recommend feral cat predation be formally recognised as a key threat to this species. To prevent declines at key colonies that would contribute to a population reduction, ongoing monitoring and proactive control of cats at known R. aurantia roosts should be prioritised. As demonstrated herein, camera trap monitoring is a valid method for quantifying the impact of feral cats at roost sites. Because relatively few individual cats at just a few sites can have a large impact, and most of the larger roost sites of R. aurantia have been discovered, there is potential for amelioration of this threat with multiple established and emerging methods deployed concurrently.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Australian Mammalogy","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am23049","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ZOOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Feral cat predation is recognised as a significant threat to Australian wildlife that has contributed to population declines and extinctions. Cat predation of bats worldwide is a growing concern, though there are few studies focusing on Australian species. We consolidated empirical evidence of cat predation on the threatened Pilbara leaf-nosed bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Observations in video and camera trap datasets demonstrated repeated predation of R. aurantia by several individual cats at three significant roosts. Between 2020 and 2023, we documented 183–200 bat kills at these sites. We recommend feral cat predation be formally recognised as a key threat to this species. To prevent declines at key colonies that would contribute to a population reduction, ongoing monitoring and proactive control of cats at known R. aurantia roosts should be prioritised. As demonstrated herein, camera trap monitoring is a valid method for quantifying the impact of feral cats at roost sites. Because relatively few individual cats at just a few sites can have a large impact, and most of the larger roost sites of R. aurantia have been discovered, there is potential for amelioration of this threat with multiple established and emerging methods deployed concurrently.
期刊介绍:
Australian Mammalogy is a major journal for the publication of research in all branches of mammalogy. The journal’s emphasis is on studies relating to Australasian mammals, both native and introduced, and includes marine mammals in the Antarctic region. Subject areas include, but are not limited to: anatomy, behaviour, developmental biology, ecology, evolution, genetics, molecular biology, parasites and diseases of mammals, physiology, reproductive biology, systematics and taxonomy.
Australian Mammalogy is for professional mammalogists, research scientists, resource managers, consulting ecologists, students and amateurs interested in any aspects of the biology and management of mammals.
Australian Mammalogy began publication in 1972 and is published on behalf of the Australian Mammal Society.