Skip to content
Sign In Subscribe
Hot-Topics — News — Study — Animals — Germany — USA — Cat — Environment — Science — Berlin — Research — Nature conservation — International — Biodiversity

Study: Free-roaming cats endanger biodiversity

Mouse or bat, sparrow or wren: even in Germany, cat owners like to get their pets' prey at their feet. Researchers warn that this is a threat to biodiversity.

,   and  ZEITUNG «AUSSIEDLERBOTE»
2 min read
A black tomcat sits on a nesting box on a tree while hunting for birds. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A black tomcat sits on a nesting box on a tree while hunting for birds. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Animals - Study: Free-roaming cats endanger biodiversity

According to a study, free-roaming cats have a very broad prey spectrum and endanger biodiversity in many places. The analysis of faecal samples, for example, shows that domestic cats are indiscriminate predators that essentially eat any type of animal they can capture at any stage of their lives, the research team explains in the journal "Nature Communications". Free-ranging cats are therefore among the most problematic invasive species in the world.

The group led by Christopher Lepczyk from Auburn University (USA) included more than 500 studies in a meta-analysis. In total, over 2000 species of prey animals were recorded worldwide. There were only a few analyses from Africa and parts of Eurasia and South America. Invertebrates are also underrepresented because they can only be detected to a limited extent in faecal samples. The actual number of species is therefore likely to be significantly higher.

According to the researchers, the high proportion of endangered species is worrying. Cats are already associated with the extinction of numerous bird, mammal and reptile species. 347 (17 percent) of the species included in the current study are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Worldwide distribution

With the exception of Antarctica, cats live on every continent and have been introduced to hundreds of islands, making them one of the most widespread animal species on earth. And it's not just their diet that threatens biodiversity: cats transmit diseases to wild animals and also influence and displace countless species, as Lepczyk's team explains. There is an urgent need for more measures and initiatives to reduce the impact of free-roaming cats.

According to estimates, more than 15 million domestic cats currently live in Germany alone, killing tens of millions of birds every year, according to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu). According to projections, there are hundreds of millions of domestic cats worldwide.

Read also:

Source: www.stern.de

Comments

Related

Another missile test by North Korea
Hot-Topics

North Korea tests missiles suitable for very large warheads

In a new missile test, North Korea has fired ballistic missiles that can carry a very large warhead. The test of the Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 missile focused on "flight stability and accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometers and the minimum range of 90 kilometers", the official North Korean...

,   and  Elizabeth Wells
Members Public

Latest

Another missile test by North Korea
Hot-Topics

North Korea tests missiles suitable for very large warheads

In a new missile test, North Korea has fired ballistic missiles that can carry a very large warhead. The test of the Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 missile focused on "flight stability and accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometers and the minimum range of 90 kilometers", the official North Korean...

,   and  Elizabeth Wells
Members Public