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Prey selection and predation behavior of free-roaming domestic cats in an urban ecosystem: Implications for urban cat management
Through maps and graphs, the authors show how excluding cats within 350 meters of an (urban) forest may prevent most predation of native species.
The ecological impact of free-roaming domestic cats (Felis catus) is well-studied. However,despite receiving considerable attention in both the scientific and popular literature,predation behavior is rarely an explicit consideration when developing cat populationmanagement plans. We used camera traps to document predation events by cats inWashington, D.C. (U.S.A), and assessed the relationships between predation and localenvironmental characteristics. Our analyses reveal that predation by cats is greatest wheresupplemental food is most abundant, and that the probability of a cat preying upon a nativespecies increases closer to forest edges. Conversely, we found that the probability of a catdepredating a non-native brown rat increases with increasing distance from forest edges.Therefore, we recommend the implementation of cat exclusionary buffer zones aroundurban forests and that free-roaming domestic cat management policies explicitly considerthe spatial location of cat-feeding sites. Our findings provide a data-driven approach tofree-roaming cat management. Note: poster developed for the National Capital Region Spotlight 2022.
Scientific poster
U.S. National Park Service
UERLA is the NPS's Urban Ecology Research Learning Aliance
This digital asset is in the public domain. When using this asset for any purpose, including online, use appropriate poster citation.
Public domain
Document
National Capital Region, Code: NCR
National Capital Parks-East, Code: NACE
National Mall and Memorial Parks, Code: NAMA
Rock Creek Park, Code: ROCR
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Code: CHOH
National Capital Parks-East, Code: NACE
National Mall and Memorial Parks, Code: NAMA
Rock Creek Park, Code: ROCR
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Code: CHOH
Rock Creek Park, National Capital Parks-East, National Mall & Memorial Parks, C&O Canal National Historical Park
Rock Creek Park
Latitude: 38.9315490722656, Longitude: -77.0459899902344
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Latitude: 39.5996513366699, Longitude: -77.9448394775391
Rock Creek Park
Latitude: 38.9315490722656, Longitude: -77.0459899902344
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Latitude: 39.5996513366699, Longitude: -77.9448394775391
2022/04/20
Public Can View
Organization: National Capital Area
Address: 1100 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20242
Email: ncr_uerla@nps.gov
Address: 1100 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20242
Email: ncr_uerla@nps.gov
Monday, April 17, 2023 9:03:26 PM
Monday, April 17, 2023 9:03:26 PM
Herrera_Free-Roaming_Cats_in_Urban_Ecosystem_2022_Spotlight_508.pdf
pdf
1.5 MB
Scenic
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Events