According to a new study, foxes and wild cats kill 2.6 billion animals annually in Australia, MTI writes. Alison Stobo WilsonAccording to Charles Darwin University staff and colleagues, there are 1.43 billion mammals, 697 million reptiles, and 510 million birds. The researchers believe that more scrutiny is needed and that more care is needed for Australia’s native species.
Stobo-Wilson said their research provided a clearer picture of how wild cats and foxes affect the environment. “People think that some cats and foxes don’t have a dangerous effect, but they get worse,” the expert said.
2.8 million cats in the wild in Australia kill 815 million mammals, 466 million reptiles, and 265 million birds annually, for a total of more than 1.5 billion animals.
There are 1.7 million foxes on the continent, and they are found in 80% of the country. They end up with fewer animals than cats, but they also hunt larger prey, including fox cubs and a smaller species of kangaroo called falabi. Of the 367 million mammals killed by foxes each year, 29 percent belong to native species.
Sarah LegyThe Australian National University researcher, who co-authored the report, highlighted that endangered species, including the rock rat, are doomed to extinction without adequate protection.
