Australia alarms the risk of cats destroying birds

Australia is looking for ways to solve the problem of cats eating large numbers of native birds, including many rare species.

Australian scientists report that more than one million birds are killed every day by domestic cats and wild cats, 99% of which are native birds , the Guardian reported on October 4.

"Everyone knows cats catch and eat birds, but new research shows that, at the national level, the number of birds killed is so staggering and can lead to many species decline in numbers" , Professor John Woinarski at Charles Darwin University, head of the research team, said.

Cats kill over a million birds every day in Australia.(Photo: Guardian).

This is the first study to examine the effects of cats on Australian birds on a national scale, according to Professor Sarah Legge from Australian National University.

"We also analyze the characteristics that make birds vulnerable to cat attacks," Legge added. Accordingly, small to medium sized birds, bird nesting and ground feeding, birds living on remote islands or arid areas are at risk of becoming the highest target.

The team estimates Australia has about 11 billion native birds, meaning that each year cats kill 4% of this."According to the data collected, we found that the carnivorous cat 338 species of native birds, including 71 species on the list are in danger, ie about 60% of the threatened species in Australia" , Legge additional.

The Australian Government has invested more than $ 23 million in projects to help solve problems caused by feral cats, said Sebastian Lang, a representative of the Australian Bureau of Threatened Biology.

"Cat owners can help reduce damage from domestic cats by sterilizing , keeping them inside or releasing them in confined areas reserved for cats. These are great measures to protect Australian ecology. , while enhancing domestic cat health , " Lang suggested.