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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMaui's Feral Cat Population Is So Massive It's Threatening A Bird Sanctuary
It sounds like a headline ripped straight from The Onion: Survey: More than 1K cats near Maui bird sanctuary.
But this is no Sylvester and Tweety Bird situation. The growing feral cat population on the Hawaiian island of Maui has wildlife biologists concerned as more and more of the cats crowd around the Kanaha Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary -- a bird sanctuary where endangered species such as the Hawaiian duck, Hawaiian coot and Hawaiian stilt nest.
On Sunday, biologist John Boone presented results of the first study done on Maui to map and count how many cats they might be dealing with. Because around 1,100 feral cats live in Kanaha Beach Park, which is adjacent to the sanctuary, Boone said the area needs serious management attention.
In the past, its been estimated that anywhere between 20,000 to half a million cats roam the 727-square-mile island, a wide range that Inga Gibson, the Hawaii director for the Humane Society of the United States, said was a main reason for assigning the study. To organize a more precise mitigation plan, she told The Huffington Post, We really needed to get an idea of the numbers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/20/maui-feral-cats_n_6018760.html
TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)Even at the very low end.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)for small marsupials. Bettongs and Bandicoots if I remember the names properly.
In populated areas I'm all for spay and release but when it comes to places for other wildlife you have to accept cats can be overly intrusive and destructive.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)New Zealand has a number of ground living birds that have been almost wiped out by cats, Hawaii and other sensitive island eco-systems are particularly vulnerable.
Even in the US, cats do a number on native bird populations.
Round them up and destroy them would be the environmentally correct solution, but people love their little kitties.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)feral or not, and care for them properly.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Maybe we should round them up and kill them.
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Trap, neuter, return.
Doremus
(7,261 posts)Trap, neuter, return.
The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)A species is endangered, so what's the solution? Let's actively decrease the ability of another species to breed.
We like evolution, but we also don't like evolution, and sometimes try to stop it.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)Bigger cats?
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Chickens.
(Which are birds, BTW.)
They're EVERYWHERE.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)if it might be possible to round up some of the less stringy ones, breed them, and voila! Kaua'i free-range chicken!
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)when I visited several years ago.
There were, however, a number of ferals living in abandoned school bus on her property.