Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Domestic Cat Predation in Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Policy on Impacts of Domestic Cats
on Native Wildlife, adopted May 30, 2003
Recommended strategies:
1. Develop and implement a comprehensive education program to increase public awareness of the impacts that feral and free-ranging cats present to wildlife, identify ways for cat owners to minimize impacts, and inform cat owners of laws prohibiting the release or abandonment of cats to the wild
2. Eliminate the threat cats pose to the viability of local populations of wildlife, particularly species listed as Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern.
3. Prohibit the release, feeding, or protection of cats on lands managed by the FWC, and strongly oppose programs and policies that allow the release, feeding, or protection of cats on public lands that support wildlife habitat.
4. Provide technical advice, policy support, and partnerships to land management agencies in order to prevent the release, feeding, or protection of cats on public lands that support wildlife habitat.
5. Oppose creation and support elimination of TNR colonies and similar managed cat colonies wherever they potentially and significantly impact local wildlife populations.
6. Evaluate the need for new rules to minimize the impact of cats on native wildlife.
LINK

2 comments:

Scooter said...

I have heard the feral colonies are deplorable in parts of Florida. Who wants to travel to a tourist locale inundated with starving cats running loose killing the wildlife?

Sherry said...

They're bad enough in Texas. I'd hate to see worse!