Feral cats hunting possums in Australia

[lincoln]

Link to the article:

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[Hardcastle]

Pretty cool-

Feral cats are hunting prey much larger than themselves, scientists have discovered.

For the first time, Murdoch University researchers have captured wild feral cats killing large animals, such as possums, which biologists say is akin to lions hunting buffalos.

Murdoch University entomologist Professor Mike Calver is working with MU researcher Dr Heather Crawford to understand why cats are targeting such large species.

Prof Calver believes that cats are being tactical by choosing a bigger feast.

Since studying this bizarre behaviour, Prof Calver says he has found species of prey that cats have eaten that he did not expect to see.

“Myself and fellow researchers had opened up the stomach of one feral cat and found a full-grown adult common brushtail possum, this was completely shocking for us to find,” Prof Calver Says.

“We have also found snakes, lizards, geckos, and birds,” he said.

“The cats are hunting prey larger than them in an effort to do less hunting themselves, while if they hunted something smaller, they would have to do it more often,” Prof Calver says.

Prof Calver says the cats are smart and keep as safe and low key as possible.

“By hunting larger species in order to do less hunting, this also helps the cats to not being exposed to predators of their own, which plays as an advantage for them,” Prof Calver said.

The behaviour has been compared to lions which go up to 14 days without food when hunting buffalo, compared to six days when praying on impala.

Prof Calver said the study has put a demand on stopping cats from eating larger animals that could potentially put them as being classified endangered.

“After going ahead and finding answers to this study, I have been working closely with the government in order to put an end to this peculiar behaviour.”

“We are going to try certain alternatives to stopping this hunting by introducing trapping, poison baking, and a new form of bio-sterilant into these populations of cats.”

Professor Calver has continued his research on cats to find new facts.

Comparing it to a lion hunting a buffalo is an exaggeration for sure. The largest Brush tailed possum (and that's the largest possum) is maybe equal to a largish cat. Around 4 kgs.

But still, that's a step up from what domestic cats (and their wild ancestors) are actually designed to hunt. Small rodents and birds. This lends some credence to speculations asserted in the past that Australian feral cats are getting larger and may start specialising for larger prey and evolve. If they adapt for possums, they'll change to be more robust and larger, and then this new cat would be able to "reach" a little higher, maybe small wallabies... then over time adapt to them, etc etc.

I think it would be very cool. But notice at the end all they're think about is "stopping it". So annoying. Australia is literally trying to heal after 50 000 years of being broken, animals are trying re-stock the empty trophic levels, full trophic levels are what a truly healthy ecosystem looks like, and these scientists are focussed on preventing it from happening. Ignorant assholes.

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2023 1:37:32 GMT Hardcastle said:

Pretty cool-

Feral cats are hunting prey much larger than themselves, scientists have discovered.

For the first time, Murdoch University researchers have captured wild feral cats killing large animals, such as possums, which biologists say is akin to lions hunting buffalos.

Murdoch University entomologist Professor Mike Calver is working with MU researcher Dr Heather Crawford to understand why cats are targeting such large species.

Prof Calver believes that cats are being tactical by choosing a bigger feast.

Since studying this bizarre behaviour, Prof Calver says he has found species of prey that cats have eaten that he did not expect to see.

“Myself and fellow researchers had opened up the stomach of one feral cat and found a full-grown adult common brushtail possum, this was completely shocking for us to find,” Prof Calver Says.

“We have also found snakes, lizards, geckos, and birds,” he said.

“The cats are hunting prey larger than them in an effort to do less hunting themselves, while if they hunted something smaller, they would have to do it more often,” Prof Calver says.

Prof Calver says the cats are smart and keep as safe and low key as possible.

“By hunting larger species in order to do less hunting, this also helps the cats to not being exposed to predators of their own, which plays as an advantage for them,” Prof Calver said.

The behaviour has been compared to lions which go up to 14 days without food when hunting buffalo, compared to six days when praying on impala.

Prof Calver said the study has put a demand on stopping cats from eating larger animals that could potentially put them as being classified endangered.

“After going ahead and finding answers to this study, I have been working closely with the government in order to put an end to this peculiar behaviour.”

“We are going to try certain alternatives to stopping this hunting by introducing trapping, poison baking, and a new form of bio-sterilant into these populations of cats.”

Professor Calver has continued his research on cats to find new facts.

Comparing it to a lion hunting a buffalo is an exaggeration for sure. The largest Brush tailed possum (and that's the largest possum) is maybe equal to a largish cat. Around 4 kgs.

But still, that's a step up from what domestic cats (and their wild ancestors) are actually designed to hunt. Small rodents and birds. This lends some credence to speculations asserted in the past that Australian feral cats are getting larger and may start specialising for larger prey and evolve. If they adapt for possums, they'll change to be more robust and larger, and then this new cat would be able to "reach" a little higher, maybe small wallabies... then over time adapt to them, etc etc.

I think it would be very cool. But notice at the end all they're think about is "stopping it". So annoying. Australia is literally trying to heal after 50 000 years of being broken, animals are trying re-stock the empty trophic levels, full trophic levels are what a truly healthy ecosystem looks like, and these scientists are focussed on preventing it from happening. Ignorant assholes.

Luckily they have no chance of succeeding.
Perhaps feral cats there will eventually become something like Arabian leopardesses, pathetic shit for a leopard but excellent and amazing for a ''small cat'' (ignoring cougars)

[Hardcastle]

Jan 19, 2023 1:41:47 GMT Bolushi said:

Jan 19, 2023 1:37:32 GMT Hardcastle said:

Pretty cool-

Comparing it to a lion hunting a buffalo is an exaggeration for sure. The largest Brush tailed possum (and that's the largest possum) is maybe equal to a largish cat. Around 4 kgs.

But still, that's a step up from what domestic cats (and their wild ancestors) are actually designed to hunt. Small rodents and birds. This lends some credence to speculations asserted in the past that Australian feral cats are getting larger and may start specialising for larger prey and evolve. If they adapt for possums, they'll change to be more robust and larger, and then this new cat would be able to "reach" a little higher, maybe small wallabies... then over time adapt to them, etc etc.

I think it would be very cool. But notice at the end all they're think about is "stopping it". So annoying. Australia is literally trying to heal after 50 000 years of being broken, animals are trying re-stock the empty trophic levels, full trophic levels are what a truly healthy ecosystem looks like, and these scientists are focussed on preventing it from happening. Ignorant assholes.

Luckily they have no chance of succeeding.
Perhaps feral cats there will eventually become something like Arabian leopardesses, pathetic shit for a leopard but excellent and amazing for a ''small cat'' (ignoring cougars)

Even a caracal would be cool, or ocelot level cooler still. Leopard/puma level is probably a million years away, but possible, especially if humans go extinct. In fact it would be inevitable, but may take time.
The dog situation would be interesting too. I suspect we could end up with the largest wild canines, if we left them alone. Already might be the case, with a 75 kg feral dog shot in NSW. There are a lot of opportunities for a lot of Animals in Australia. It's a shame they are being supressed.