Feral threat to Fraser fauna

AUTHORITIES are attempting to ambush a feral cat population endangering native environment and wildlife on world heritage-listed Fraser Island.

A feral cat photographed last August by a QPWS remote sensing camera near Lake Garry on Fraser Island. Traps are being set to catch the pest. . Picture: QPWS

AUTHORITIES are attempting to ambush a feral cat population endangering native environment and wildlife on world heritage- listed Fraser Island.

The first wild cats were captured on camera last year after equipment used to monitor dingo activity photographed a feral cat prowling through scrub.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Great Sandy Regional manager Ross Belcher said new information revealed cats had been populating numerous locations across the heritage site.

"Initial reports indicate that feral cats are spread across parts of the island in moderate numbers," Mr Belcher said.

"However QPWS monitoring of native animals shows healthy populations of species like bandicoots and bush rats."

To combat the problem rangers have started trapping efforts around the Eurong area.

QPWS plan to use results from that pilot program to design further control operations.

"So far no cats have been caught," he said.

"The program will only involve the use of traps designed to humanely trap cats, and baiting is not an option at this stage.

QPWS said the program was being designed to protect other animals and data was expected to be available in the coming months.

TESS Wildlife Sanctuary curator Ray Revill said the ferals would destroy the island's fauna if productive programs were not operational soon.

"An average cat can have more than eight kittens a litter and will sometimes breed more than three times each year," Mr Revill said.

"They spread rapidly and can be a major danger to native birdlife and smaller animals such as bandicoots."

Mr Revill said the problem would take years to fix but urged authorities to be persistent.

Originally published as Feral threat to Fraser fauna