Recently we read about the Australian government planning to use biological warfare against the Australian feral cat. Perhaps they shelved that idea as unworkable so they (the government and the government agencies) have come up with a "fatal bait" which the curious feral cat will eat and it is called "curiosity" - how quaint. The bait is intended to kill 80% of the feral cats. The bait works by stopping the flow of oxygen in the blood.
This toxin has been trailed for years! The trails showed that this toxic bait, resembling a sausage, showed "promise"! Not perfect then....no, it kills other species as well. Surprised? No.
The bait has not been demonstrated to be completely harmless to other species but it is the best feral cat killer they have come up with. What about TNR? Australians seem to have totally rejected TNR as too slow and too expensive. Forget humane methods. That is irrelevant.
I am guessing that the bait contains some sort of attractive smell such as catnip to attract cats only but it seems to be impossible to kill feral cats this way en masse. They'll end up killing more "other species" than the feral cat does.
The Australians have a deep hatred for the feral cat. They "estimate" it kills 75 million native mammals every night! Yes, every night. That is what the International Business Times article states.
I hate to say it but I'd bet my last dollar that that is a gross overestimate and if is it correct we know humans kill even more.
Come on Aussies, bite the bullet and organise a nationwide trap-neuter-return programme. It will work and if carried out properly it will lead the way in the world and promote Australia in the eyes of the world.
I though Greg Hunt, the environment minister was sensitive to animals. Wrong.
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