Australia's answer to a cat-astrophe: Poison-laced sausages to be airdropped across the country in a bid to wipe out millions of feral felines - and it's outraged animal rights groups
- Poisonous sausages are being airdropped into the bush to put down feral felines
- Over two million feral cats across 10 million hectares will be killed by 2020
- The move has sparked global outrage including an American animal rights group
- Wild cats are an invasive species that kill millions of native birds and reptiles
Poisonous sausages are being airdropped into the bush to kill feral cats as the Australian government pushes to cull two million by 2020.
Shooting and poisoning are methods used to kill wild cats across 10 million hectares in a move that has sparked outrage among animal rights groups.
Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) has criticised the government for not using methods like sterilisation.
Cats kill 377million birds and 649million reptiles per year, which makes the soil less fertile and productive.
Shooting and poisoning are methods used to kill wild cats across 10 million hectares in a move that has sparked international outrage (file image)
A highly-restricted poison is added to sausages made of kangaroo meat, chicken fat and a mix of herbs and spices, according to a New York Times report.
'They've got to taste good. They are the cat's last meal,' pest controller Shane Morse said to the Times.
Many native animals are immune to the poison as it is found in native plants.
The government's threatened species strategy aims to use 'best practice feral cat action' across two million hectares and standard cat action across another 10 million hectares.
They also want to eliminate cats from five islands and create 10 mainland exclosures free from feral cats.
A highly-restricted poison 1080 is added to bait sausages. Many native animals are immune to the poison as it is found in native plants, making it perfect to kill wild cats (file image)
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Feral cats in Australia kill four times more lizards than American cats, and on average, each kills 225 reptiles per year (file image)
DXE Organiser Wayne Hsuing said it is 'disturbing and ironic' the government is killing cats since 'humans are by far the most invasive species' on Facebook.
'No significant effort has been made to reduce the impacts of cats on feral wildlife using nonviolent means,' Mr Hsuing said.
He suggested: 'A mass spaying program or stronger sanctions against guardians who abandon their cats in the wild.'
The government based their 'violent and horrific policy' on 'speculative' research, according to Mr Hsuing.
A feral cat with a bird in its mouth. Cats kill 377 milllion birds and 649 million reptiles per year, which makes the soil less fertile and productive (file image)
Feral cats 'binge on' a range of species including 11 endangered species, such as the Great Desert Skink, of which there are 4000 to 10,000 left in the wild.
Professor of Conversation Biology at Charles Darwin University John Woinarski wrote that predation from feral cats resulted in the extinction of Australian land mammals.
'Since Australia was settled we have lost 34 mammal species, including types of bandicoot, wallabies, delightful animals,' he previously told Daily Mail Australia.
Feral cats in Australia kill four times more lizards than American cats.
Mr Woinarski said the loss of lizards would result in the soil becoming less productive.
'Australia is distinctive for its natural environment... these are animals that turn over the soil and add fertility to it,' Mr Woinarski said.
DXE Organiser Wayne Hsuing said it is 'disturbing and ironic' the government is killing cats since 'humans are by far the most invasive species' (file image)
