Another island freed of feral cats

@JudyEv (381638)
Rockingham, Australia
June 5, 2026 1:57am CST
The photo is another one from the display which is in our clubhouse. It has nothing to do with the discussion. North-east of Tasmania, in Bass Strait, lies the Furneaux Group of islands, one of which is Little Dog Island. It has an area of 83 hectares (94 acres) and is/was a traditional safe haven for birds. However, possums and feral cats were decimating the seabirds, and penguins had not been seen there for some time. During 2022 and 2023, 21 cats and over 100 possums were trapped and removed from the island which has now been declared free of both predators. In 2018, Dirk Hartog Island off the coast of Western Australia was also declared free of feral cats. I think I wrote about it at the time. Penguins are now returning and nesting shearwaters are no longer losing so many chicks and eggs.
9 people like this
10 responses
Amber
@AmbiePam (120433)
• United States
5 Jun
That’s fantastic! People love cats so much they don’t think of the damage they can do to an environment.
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (120433)
• United States
5 Jun
@JudyEv I really like that. There is nothing like that here. Cats are free to roam, crap in front of your neighbor’s front door, and dig into garbage as much as they want.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
Cats here are supposed to be inside by 6pm or something. I'm not sure exactly as we don't have a cat now but I know there are quite strict restrictions.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
@AmbiePam Having said that, I'm sure there is a cat that sprays on our front flyscreen door. I have no idea how to clean it. I might take a photo of it and see if anyone here has any ideas.
1 person likes this
Go Crossbones
@crossbones27 (52911)
• Mojave, California
5 Jun
Why not just use dogs? It sounds confusing but how was it a hard problem to fix? I get its a island, you bring dogs in they will just run but there is no where to run and why islands are scary when a top predictor can just lay waste to place and nothing else can survive.
1 person likes this
Go Crossbones
@crossbones27 (52911)
• Mojave, California
6 Jun
@JudyEv Mot to kill them to chase them, but I hear your point. Dogs do not even know why they hate cats they just think they do.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
@crossbones27 It's not good chasing them unless they kill them. There are a great many dogs now that tolerate cats.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
Use dogs to kill the cats? I can see the animal lovers going ballistic if you did that.
1 person likes this
Toni
@toniganzon (77029)
• Philippines
5 Jun
The penguins are probably saying, "good riddance!"
1 person likes this
Toni
@toniganzon (77029)
• Philippines
6 Jun
@JudyEv And that's really a good thing.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
They haven't nested there for some years but now they're returning.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174181)
• United States
5 Jun
I'm glad they trapped and removed the cats and possums from the island. Hopefully, the penguins and shearwaters can make a full return.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
It really is good news. Now they're gone it's highly unlikely that they'll ever return.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174181)
• United States
5 Jun
@JudyEv Unless some stupid person brings them back again...
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (21506)
• London, England
5 Jun
I am a great fan of cats, but can see the need to remove them and give the birds their home back
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
I love cats too but feral ones do a great deal of damage.
1 person likes this
Jimbo45
@Ineeddentures (33549)
•
6 Jun
Penguins? Wow I always believed they were only found in Antartica
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
They're on our southern coasts. Occasionally one comes ashore at Albany on the West Australian coast but they're not commonly seen here.
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Jimbo45
@Ineeddentures (33549)
•
6 Jun
@JudyEv They never come to Scotland
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Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (135511)
• Marion, Ohio
5 Jun
Our opossum do love eggs. Glad they got them
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
It will make a big difference to the numbers of some seabirds.
1 person likes this
Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23946)
• United Kingdom
5 Jun
How interesting & great news penguins are now returning! Hopefully the birds will return in time!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
It's great that they can rid the island of predators and turn it back into a safe place for birds.
1 person likes this
Baconstripsxxx
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18018)
• Torrington, Connecticut
5 Jun
That is really encouraging news. It’s amazing how quickly nature can begin to recover when predators are removed and native wildlife finally gets a chance again.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jun
I agree. It's like there is some grapevine that sends out the word that an area is safe again.
1 person likes this
Scott Ganschow
@teamfreak16 (43546)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Jun
That's good. Go penguins!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381638)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
Good news indeed.
1 person likes this