Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Effects of sterilization on movements of feral cats on Catalina Island in California, USA

With the threats that feral cats impose on wildlife, including being opportunistic predators, competing with native predators, and often carrying zoonotic disease, population management of feral cats is immensely necessary. Trap-neuter-release (TNR) is a current popular method of management; however, due to little comprehensive documentation of the effects of TNR programs on wildlife, their success are difficult to assess.

To assess the effect of sterilization on cat movement, 

Guttilla and Stapp suggest the TNR may do nothing to alleviate predation-related threats to wildlife. However, since diseased cats are not reintroduced into the colony after trapping, TNR does reduce some zoonotic disease threats.

Guttilla, D. A., & Stapp, P. (2010). Effects of sterilization on movements of feral cats at a wildland-urban interface. Journal of Mammalogy91(2), 482-489.

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1 comment:

  1. Could this study be replicated with stray dogs? Do you think the research would show similar data or would it be drastically different being that cats are more independent than dogs?

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