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Feral cats may be eliminated from San Nicolas Island
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More from Breaking NewsTo protect a long list of endangered species the federal wildlife biologists are proposing to kill all the wild cats now living on Navy-owned San Nicolas Island.
The plan, spearheaded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service entails the use of padded leg traps and hunters to eradicate what are believed to be between 100 and 200 feral cats. Dogs would be used to flush out some of the harder to catch cats in the plan that could take about a year to complete.
"This is the most humane and feasible alternative we've found," said Jane Hendron, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based in Carlsbad.
The wild cats descended from domestic cats that escaped or other cats that were brought to hunt mice decades ago. There are records of fairly significant feral cat populations that go back to the 1950s, and the cats have taken a large toll on the seabirds and other endangered species on the islands. Worldwide feral cats have said to be responsible for the extinction of 33 seabirds, according to federal biologists.
"On San Nicolas Island, feral cats are known to kill seabirds, including Brandt's cormorants and western gulls; other birds, including the federally threatened western snowy plover; the federally threatened island night lizard; and the endemic deer mouse," according to an Environmental Assessment done on the planned eradication.
Posted by dragstripgirl on June 5, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is so ridiculous. I can't believe stupid tree huggers sometimes. Has anyone heard of survival of the fittest?
Posted by chair on June 5, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Tree huggers" aren't the problem, dragstripgirl. It was those folks who brought their cats to the island. Were the islands (and our mainland) left to their natural devices -- just as the Chumash practiced -- we wouldn't be having "tree huggers" today! Instead we've opted for "progress" thereby eliminating a once-fertile Oxnard Plain so farmers could get one more crop a year (and get additional farmland to boot!). But now the farmers need to fertilize their fields, poison critters that feed on their crops (and us, too!), and overpopulate an area once capable of watering and feeding its inhabitants. Oh, and BTW, dragstripgirl, you forgot to mention the coyotes and cougars and bears and such coming down out of the hills to prey on our peta and, perhaps, us. Surely WE aren't responsible!
Posted by chair on June 5, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Tree huggers" aren't the problem, dragstripgirl. It was those folks who brought their cats to the island. Were the islands (and our mainland) left to their natural devices -- just as the Chumash practiced -- we wouldn't be having "tree huggers" today! Instead we've opted for "progress" thereby eliminating a once-fertile Oxnard Plain so farmers could get one more crop a year (and get additional farmland to boot!). But now the farmers need to fertilize their fields, poison critters that feed on their crops (and us, too!), and overpopulate an area once capable of watering and feeding its inhabitants. Oh, and BTW, dragstripgirl, you forgot to mention the coyotes and cougars and bears and such coming down out of the hills to prey on our peta and, perhaps, us. Surely WE aren't responsible!
Posted by WarChiefCVA64 on June 5, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My 2 fixed, lazy cats haven't a clue as to how good they have it.
Posted by dragstripgirl on June 5, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And your point is? The cats have been there for over 50 yrs. And, overpopulation? Most call it supply and demand. Money talks. Mr. Go hug a tree.
Posted by jill on June 5, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not humanely trap them and put them to sleep like people do to their aged pets? Why so cruel? What humans do to animals makes be sick.
Posted by waasup_H8RS on June 5, 2008 at 11:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the world is overpopulated with killers and criminals, lets humanely kill them with traps to return the earth to a better state
Posted by WarChiefCVA64 on June 6, 2008 at 12:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The problem is that cats on San Nicholas Island have no natural enemies. Therefore survival of the fittest and natural culling of the feral cat population does not occur. The in-breeding that naturally results among such isolated populations leads to a disease venerable animal. I don't think that they will harvest them all, cats are pretty sly. It will take them no time at all to associate the trap and the gun shot with death and avoid both. I bet that if they cull 3 out of 4 they will have been very successful. Then in 50-years they have to do it again.
Posted by JumpinJack on June 6, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Geez, dragstripgirl, it sounds like your solution would be to asphalt the whole island to get rid of the maintenance problem.
"Survival of the fittest" is a great slogan ... for the type of simpleminded dolt who thrived in Washington for the past 7 years.
Posted by dragstripgirl on June 6, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
yes. asphault is good.
Posted by dragstripgirl on June 7, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Illegal aliens are non native invasive species.... Can we use these tax dollars to eliminate them instead?
Posted by faith on June 8, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it is absolutely terrible that people can just kill animals without any thought that they have feelings.... (How would you feel being hunted or chased down, mauled and eaten by dogs?) If there is such a cat population problem out there, why not us a safer and more humane way to do decrease the population? Why not use Tranquelizer guns filled with enough tranquelizer to put them to sleep permanantly. Also, there should be NO dogs involved. If there are a few remaining cats, caged traps can be set, they can be tranquelized while in the cage and then spayed or neutered, returned to the cage for re-release so they can continue to help with the unwanted pests on the island. My Question is who is going to be on the island to enforce that this hunting by Man and Dog is humane and to ensure they are not just wounded left to die a horrific death? Is the Humane Society? Look at how many cruel people who are too willing to jump in kill the cats. Did we already forget about Michael Vicks? Whats the difference? I am sorry but I feel there are better options and more humane ways to rectify the overpopulation than hunting the cats down with the use of dogs and no Animal support activist supervision to ensure that there is no Human/Dog cruelty. Shame on the Military for not spaying and neutering in the first place before the Cat population got out of control.
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