22 October 2024 | With a focus on the agricultural and environmental impacts of feral cats, community members came together this month to talk about managing feral cat populations in the Meander Valley.
The session, hosted by Landcare Tasmania, featured presentations from several experts in invasive species management:
Gillian Basnett: As the National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator with the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Gillian provided a comprehensive overview of the relevant legislation and management tools available for controlling feral cat populations in Tasmania. Her insights offered crucial context for participants, emphasising the framework within which effective management can occur.
Bruce Jackson: Tasmania’s former senior vet officer at DPIPWE, Bruce shared his extensive knowledge of farm biosecurity and the risks posed by cat-borne diseases to livestock, humans, and wildlife. His presentation highlighted the significant health implications that feral cats can pose, and underscored the urgency of addressing this issue.
John Bowden: An experienced and qualified trapper, John demonstrated effective trapping methods and practical techniques for managing feral cat populations. His hands-on approach provided attendees with valuable skills to take back to their communities.
Peter Voller: A board director with Landcare Tasmania, a member of West Tamar Landcare and chair of the Cradle Coast Authority, Peter shared insights into Tamar Valley’s ongoing community-led cat management plan. He detailed its development and goals, showcasing a successful model for collaborative management.
Gillian Basnett presenting facts on feral cats in Tasmania. Photo credit: Landcare Tasmania.
This event highlighted the necessity of a collaborative approach to feral cat management, involving government agencies, conservation organisations, and landholders. By fostering partnerships and shared responsibility, we can tackle the challenges posed by feral cats more effectively.
Landcare Tasmania is committed to empowering the community with the knowledge and skills needed to manage feral cats in a way that is effective, humane, and legally compliant.
Our 'Impact to Action' strategy for feral cat management emphasises community capacity-building and proactive involvement in conservation efforts.
The takeaway messages from the workshop were:
- More needs to be done to inform and support the community to manage feral cats.
- Cat diseases such as toxoplasmosis and sarcocystis affect livestock, wildlife and humans.
- Cat management starts with making a Cat Management Plan which should include your neighbours and community, your Council and your local cat management facility
- To be successful, feral cat management needs to be strategic, well planned and long-term.
Read more here about feral cats on our Reading Room page.
This workshop was developed in partnership with the Center for Invasive Species Solutions and Meander Valley Council, and is part of Landcare Tasmania's Landscape Restoration and Community Outreach programs funded by the State Government's Landcare Action Grants Round 7.