Conflict within New Zealand Conservation Strategy: Cat owners vs Conservation
Posted: May 16, 2019 Filed under: 2019, conservation, ERES525, Module Critique Assignment, Uncategorized | Tags: Cats, conflict, conservation, environment, new zealand. Leave a commentBy Henrietta Ansell
Photograph: Vasiliy Vishnevskiy/Alamy
Abstract
Protecting New Zealand’s unique native wildlife is of substantial importance to its people. To support biodiversity, national strategies have been put in place in order to eradicate invasive predators. However, cats, being feral, stray or household pet have slipped through the cracks. Companion cats are responsible for 18-44 million prey items a year. These prolific hunters must be managed in order to conserve native biodiversity within NZ. Due to cat owner’s strong connection with their pets, conflict has arisen. In order to make fair management plans, there needs to be further investigation into the aftereffects of cat reduction. In addition, it is imperative the cat owner values are incorporated into conversation prior to the implementation of management plans.
Introduction
New Zealand’s unique island flora and fauna is of substantial importance to its people. Many species are considered taonga, with high cultural value and identity (Holzapfel et al., 2008). NZ’s struggle to protect biodiversity is due to endemic species evolving in absence of mammalian predators (Dowding & Murphy, 2001). Due to this, native fauna lack defensive adaptations and as a result, invasive predators have devastated native fauna populations (Dowding & Murphy, 2001).
Conservation campaigns such as Predator Free 2050 are looking to alleviate the pressure of invasive mammals on NZ Fauna. Their focus is limited to stoats (Mustela erminea), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and rats (Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Rattus exulans) (Owens, 2017), leaving remaining mammalian predators unaccounted.
Cats. Feral, stray or household pet, these furry beasts are having a detrimental effect on NZ’s wildlife (Morgan et al., 2009). Cats (Felis catus) have been a beloved companion animal since their domestication. Around 35-44% of NZrs own one or more cats in their home, considering them one of the family (Walker et al., 2017).
The management of cats has been controversial in NZ for a while. Conflict has arisen between conservationist and the public over the strict management or possible eradication of cats (Walker et al., 2017). Due to the value humans place on cats, complete eradication would be unjustified. In order to implement fair and effective management plans, extensive research into the consequences of cat restrictions must be conducted. In addition, the pet owner values must be incorporated into management plans in order to be successful.
What threat are cats posing to NZ Biodiversity?
Cats are known to have detrimental effects on vulnerable species (Nogales et al., 2013). A majority of literature is based on the effects of feral cat populations and their negative impacts on wildlife. However, companion cats are also detrimental to native fauna in urban areas (Walker et al., 2017). Household cats are responsible for 18-44 million prey items a year (Walker et al., 2017). Yolanda van Heezik et al. (2010) found birds are cat’s priority prey (fig1), with 45% of birds being native. However, cats are opportunistic, generalist hunters and will target anything available (Willson et al., 2015; Walker et al., 2017).
Figure 1: Birds are shown to be priority prey (van Heezik et al., 2010).
Cat predation in urban areas act as a sink for birds (van Heezik et al., 2010). Prey populations are supplemented by surrounding landscapes and are being depleted by consistent cat predation (van Heezik et al., 2010). Cat populations in urban areas do not fluctuate with prey population density, due to household cats being regularly fed by their owners (van Heezik et al., 2010). Resulting in the reduction of native bird populations from surrounding landscapes, as well as the prevention of a subsisting populations within urban areas. Cats on the edges of cities may predate into rural habitats, where native fauna reside (van Heezik, 2010; Morgan et al., 2009). Many of our native birds are threatened, such as Kiwi (Apteryx), which juveniles are found to be predated upon by cats (McLennan et al.,1996) Therefore, it is important that we lower predation as much as possible.
As cats also prey on other pests’ species such as rats, there is speculation that these lower level predators will increase in abundance if cats are eradicated. However, a study conducted by Parsons et al., (2018) found that rat abundance isn’t affected by cat presence. Although rat sightings are lower in the presence of cats, this is a result of rats altering behaviour in order to avoid predation. The study was completed in New York, USA, therefore results in NZ may differ. This calls for additional research into the areas of cat predation of other pests within NZ. Actively reducing cat populations without consideration of potential pest population booms may have devasting results on native fauna.
Conflict in Priorities
Cat ownership is deep-rooted within western society (van Heezik, 2010). Many people feel extremely close to their pets, even deeming them part of the family. Owning a pet comes with physical and psychological benefits to human wellbeing (Crawford et al., 2006). Frequently people will value their pets over conservation concerns.
New Zealanders aren’t shy to the idea of cat management. A survey of NZers found 78% support the National Cat Management Strategy regarding feral and stray cats, but the public aren’t as concerned with the management of companion cats (Walker et al., 2017). Before implementing strategy, it is imperative to gather information on public opinion (Linklater et al., 2019). Without doing so, campaigns can be met with hostility and conflict.
Values are profoundly embedded among different groups and often continue to be robust throughout generations, they may alter with time but will never be fully replaced (Manfredo et al., 2016). It is impossible to try and force a value change upon society, and if enforced conservation strategies will fail as a result (Manfredo et al., 2016). Therefore, it is important to find common ground and create conversation around conflict. In turn, within cat management, this allows pet owners values to be incorporated when policy change is implemented.
Conclusion
There is conflict surrounding cat management strategy due to a difference in values. We cannot ignore that our companion cats are influencing biodiversity in urban areas. In order to conserve native biodiversity, it is imperative that comprehensive research is completed to predict outcomes of feline management. In addition, it is important to incorporate public opinion and cat owner values within strategy. If not, management plans may not be adopted by general public and fail to create results.
In the meantime, what can you do?
Cat confinement
Confinement is not only effective for conservation but acts as protection for pets as well (Linklater et al., 2019). Keeping your cat indoors after dark will reduce night-time predation, however, 24hr hour cat confinement is deemed the most effective by conservationists (Linklater et al., 2019). Either way, confining your cat indoors will reduce predation on native fauna.
Cat accessories
The introduction of Birdsbesafe® cat collar, a quick release brightly covered sleeve (fig 2), has proven to reduce cat kill count from 300 to 39 per year (Willson et al., 2015). Cats also become accustom to Birdsbesafe® collars within 30 minutes 69% of the time. As a result, these collars will allow cats to be outside but also exhibit diminished predation.
Figure 2: Birdsbesafe® Cat Collar (Willson et al., 2015).
References
Crawford, E. K., Worsham, N. L., & Swinehart, E. R. (2006). Benefits derived from companion animals, and the use of the term “attachment”. Anthrozoös, 19(2), 98-112.
Dowding, J. E., & Murphy, E. C. (2001). The impact of predation by introduced mammals on endemic shorebirds in New Zealand: a conservation perspective. Biological Conservation, 99(1), 47-64.
Holzapfel, S., Robertson, H. A., McLennan, J. A., Sporle, W., Hackwell, K., & Impey, M. (2008). Kiwi (Apteryx spp.) recovery plan. Threatened species recovery plan, 60.
Linklater, W. L., Farnworth, M. J., van Heezik, Y., Stafford, K. J., & MacDonald, E. A. (2019). Prioritizing cat‐owner behaviors for a campaign to reduce wildlife depredation. Conservation Science and Practice, e29.
Manfredo, M. J., Bruskotter, J. T., Teel, T. L., Fulton, D., Schwartz, S. H., Arlinghaus, R., … & Sullivan, L. (2017). Why social values cannot be changed for the sake of conservation. Conservation Biology, 31(4), 772-780.
McLennan, J. A., Potter, M. A., Robertson, H. A., Wake, G. C., Colbourne, R., Dew, L., … & Reid, J. (1996). Role of predation in the decline of kiwi, Apteryx spp., in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 27-35
Metsers, E. M., Seddon, P. J., & van Heezik, Y. M. (2010). Cat-exclusion zones in rural and urban-fringe landscapes: how large would they have to be?. Wildlife Research, 37(1), 47-56.
Morgan, S. A., Hansen, C. M., Ross, J. G., Hickling, G. J., Ogilvie, S. C., & Paterson, A. M. (2009). Urban cat (Felis catus) movement and predation activity associated with a wetland reserve in New Zealand. Wildlife Research, 36(7), 574-580.
Nogales, M., Vidal, E., Medina, F. M., Bonnaud, E., Tershy, B. R., Campbell, K. J., & Zavaleta, E. S. (2013). Feral cats and biodiversity conservation: the urgent prioritization of island management. Bioscience, 63(10), 804-810.
Owens, B. R. I. A. N. (2017). The big cull. Nature, 541, 148-150.
Parsons, D., Michael, H., Banks, P. B., Deutsch, M. A., & Munshi-South, J. (2018). Temporal and space-use changes by rats in response to predation by feral cats in an urban ecosystem. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 6, 146.
van Heezik, Y. (2010). Pussyfooting around the issue of cat predation in urban areas. Oryx, 44(2), 153-154.
van Heezik, Y., Smyth, A., Adams, A., & Gordon, J. (2010). Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations?. Biological Conservation, 143(1), 121-130.
Walker, J., Bruce, S., & Dale, A. (2017). A survey of public opinion on cat (Felis catus) predation and the future direction of cat management in New Zealand. Animals, 7(7), 49.
Willson, S. K., Okunlola, I. A., & Novak, J. A. (2015). Birds be safe: can a novel cat collar reduce avian mortality by domestic cats (Felis catus)?. Global Ecology and Conservation, 3, 359-366.
Trap–Neuter–Return: Undermining New Zealand Conservation.
Posted: May 1, 2017 Filed under: 2017, ERES525 | Tags: Cats, conservation, nature, new zealand. 1 Comment
Trap Neuter Return logo. (Retrieved from http://www.ccfaw.org/TNR.html on 1/5/17)
Author: Olivia Carson
In New Zealand, conservation is a crucial tool used to maintain our unique ecosystem. But are our beloved feline friends undoing conservation’s hard work? Cats enjoy preying on some of New Zealand’s endemic species, such as birds like the kiwi, kererū and tui, reptiles like skinks, geckos and tuatara or invertebrates like weta. Statistics show that cats are having an impact on our native fauna, so is it time to revise programs which enable this behaviour to continue?
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a management technique used in New Zealand (NZ) by participating SPCA clinics whereby wild free-roaming cats, of all ages, are being humanely captured, spayed, and health checked. Upon completion, they are returned to their original habitat where their presence is approved, or they are put up for adoption if they are seen fit for domestication (Levy, et al., 2013). Former SPCA National President, Bob Kerridge, and the majority of NZ’s SPCAs support TNR as it aids in the welfare of, “sick, injured, lost, abused or simply abandoned cats” and it leads to an eventual decrease in the wild cat population (Auckland SPCA, 2016). However, this support is rivalled with opposition from The Department of Conservation (DOC) and conservation minister, Maggie Barry, who in 2015 called for the SPCA to stop the programme altogether, claiming it was destructive to native birds (Smith, 2015). Throughout this article the positive and negative implications of TNR will be explored, arguing that from a conservationist’s perspective, this program, along with feral and stray cats need to go.
Cats are categorised by their behavioural differences, whether they are domestic, stray or feral. Domestic cats are those who live with an owner and depend on humans for their care and welfare. A stray cat is one who was once a domesticated animal but has become lost or abandoned and has their needs indirectly supplied to them by humans or their environment. Feral cats are born and raised in the wild and have few of their needs provided by people and tend to live away from centres of human habitation (Farnworth, et al., 2010). One behaviour which these cats share is their instinct to kill, with studies nationwide showing that many of NZ’s endangered species have targets on their backs.
A stray cat trapped in a TNR cage being released after neutering. (Retrieved from http://iowahumanealliance.org/trapneuterrelease on 1/5/17)
The debate on whether cats should be classified as pests is strongly controversial. 48% of households in NZ accommodate at least one cat, showing that us Kiwis have a real love for these furry creatures (Mckay, et al., 2009). DOC, on the other hand, consider cats as pests, due to their negative impacts on our native species (Abbott, 2008). This begs the question, why are programmes such as TNR supporting the release of these homeless and undomesticated cats back into the wild?
There are many reasons to support the use of TNR. In Rome, Italy, a study on a long-term TNR programme showed that cat colonies decreased by up to 24% over a 6-year period, demonstrating that loss of reproductive ability has a marked effect on the reduction of the number of unwanted kittens (Natoli, et al., 2006). Furthermore, by returning the cat to the environment after veterinary attention, it allowed them to continue using their hunting instincts towards decreasing mammalian pest populations. The same methodology can be applied to NZ as mammalian pests, such as mice and rats are also known to feast on New Zealand’s native species (Towns & Broome, 2003). Therefore, it could be reasoned that if cats were removed altogether from the ecosystem, it might experience a decline in native wildlife due to a rise in the rodent population.
The introduction of cats to NZ has seen some unfortunate outcomes for native species, which underwent evolution during a period where mammalian predators were non-existent (Norbury, et al., 2014). Domestic, stray and feral cats have all contributed to the extinction of 40% of NZ endemic birds (Sijbranda, et al., 2016). In 1894, a single cat was able to completely wipe out an entire species of Stephen’s Island Wren, who were thought to be taking refuge from mammalian pests on Stephen’s Island (Galbreath & Brown, 2004). This reinforces how destructive one cat, who may be from a TNR programme can be.
The stomach contents of one stray male cat in Ohakune, New Zealand. (Retrieved from http://www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-releases/2010/cat-nabbed-raiding-the-mothership/ on 1/5/17).
The average cat kills approximately 65 creatures a year (van Heezik, et al., 2010). Rats, one of NZ’s most devastating pests, arguably contribute just as much damage, along with ferrets, stoats, weasels and possums. Both government and territorial authorities use alternatives to TNR to control these predators which meet humane standards for example poison and traps. It could be debated that although a less favourable outcome for cats, instead of the SPCA spending money on neutering and providing medical attention, it could be considered more humane to euthanise. Recognising this will stop cats from having an unloved life on the street and ensures that no native animals will come to their demise in the future.
If TNR was terminated, then continued pest management would be essential. Instead of neutering and releasing trapped stray and feral cats, they would need to be humanely euthanised. Continued management would also benefit the eradication of the other pests which cats may prey on. New Zealand aims to have a pest-free ecosystem by 2050 and the Government, iwis, and regional councils are showing their support to this cause by providing approximately $70 million annually towards predator control (The Department of Conservation, 2014). This sum would continue to benefit pest management if TNR was stopped. There are humane pest control options which could be better advertised to the public (Goodnature and Victor professional traps), which may increase support, reinforcing that we don’t need cat input to sort our pest problem, just people’s support.
The negative consequences of having stray and feral cats in our environment far outweigh the positives. Most cat owners are reasonable people, agreeing that measures such as mandatory microchipping, registration and compulsory neutering, would allow for better care of future stray cats. If people complied with these rules, then stray cats could be returned to their owners. We don’t need to remove our much-loved pets altogether, but our native fauna needs protection too, the ones that define us as a nation, and for this to be achievable, TNR must go. TNR currently undermines conservation practices by allowing destructive animals to continue to roam freely. If it weren’t for cats “most-loved” status, it wouldn’t be an issue, as we don’t see rats being neutered and returned to the wild, do we?
References
Abbott, I. (2008). The spread of the cat (Felis catus) in Australia: Re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia, 7, 1-17.
Auckland SPCA (2016). What We Do. Retrieved from Auckland SPCA: https://www.spcaauckland.org.nz/what-we-do/
Farnworth, M., Dye, N., & Keown, N. (2010). The legal status of cats in New Zealand: A perspective on the welfare of companion, stray and feral domestic cats (Felis catus). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 13, 180-188.
Galbreath, R., & Brown, D. (2004). The tale of the lighthouse-keeper’s cat: Discovery and extinction of the Stephens Island wren (Traversia lyalli). The Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Inc, 51, 193-200.
Levy, J., Gale, D., & Gale, L. (2013). Levy, J. K., Gale, D. W. Evaluation of the effect of a long-term trap-neuter-return and adoption program on a free-roaming cat population. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 222, 42–46.
Mckay, S., Farnworth, M., & Waran, N. (2009). Current attitudes toward, and incidence of, sterilization of cats and dogs by caregivers (owners) in Auckland, New Zealand. Journal of applied animal welfare science, 12, 331-344.
Natoli, E., Maragliano, L., Cariola, G., Faini, A., Bonanni, R., Cafazzo, S., & Fantini, C. (2006). Management of feral domestic cats in the urban environment of Rome (Italy). Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 77, 180-185.
Norbury, G., Hutcheon, A., Reardon, J., & Daigneault, A. (2014). Pest fencing or pest trapping: A bio-economic analysis of cost-effectiveness. Austral Ecology, 39, 795-807.
Sijbranda, D., Campbell, J., Gartrell, B., & Howe, L. (2016). Avian malaria in introduced, native and endemic New Zealand bird species in a mixed ecosystem. New Zealand Journal of Ecology,, 40(1), 72-79.
Smith, O. (2015). Express. Retrieved from Feral politics: New Zealand’s two-cat policy sparks FUR-ious row. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/582420/New-Zealand-s-Prime-Minister-John-Key-two-cat-policy-controversy
The Department of Conservation. (2014). Predator Free 2050 [Brochure]. New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/our-work/predator-free-2050.pdf
Towns, D., & Broome, K. (2003). From small Maria to massive Campbell: Forty years of rat eradications from New Zealand islands. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 30(4), 377-398.
van Heezik, Y., Smyth, A., Adams, A., & Gordon, J. (2010). Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations? Biological Conservation, 143(1), 121-130.
3Rs of Ecology 
