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Feral cats (Felis catus) in an urban conservancy : University of KwaZulu- Natal, Howard College campus.
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Tennent, Jaclyn |
| Copyright Year | 2005 |
| Abstract | The resident feral cat (Felis catus) population on the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Howard College campus (HCC) in Durban, South Africa was studied from March 2004 to November 2005. This study was initiated as the HCC is an registered as an urban conservancy and so should be removing alien invasive flora and fauna and conserving the indigenous biodiversity of the campus. This research was undertaken to assist with recommendations for the control and management of feral cats on the HCe. A survey to determine public perceptions and opinions regarding the feral cats was conducted among various communities on the campus. Feral cats from the resident population on the HCC were trapped and fitted with radio-collars in order that their home range sizes and distribution could be determined. Monthly census counts were also carried out in an attempt to calculate population densities of the feral cats on campus, while data on behaviour patterns was collected opportunistically throughout the study period. The survey showed that two extreme views existed on campus regarding the presence of feral cats. The university is a registered conservancy which some feel is no place for this exotic species. However, it is also situated within an urban surrounding and there are some cat enthusiasts among the public who feel that resources should be provided for the feral cats, both nutritionally and financially. While many people were unaware that the feral cats were a cause for concern on the HCC, the majority concluded that a management policy needed to be adopted to control feral cat numbers. Most were against the suggestion of eradicating the cats and strongly agreed with the implementation of a university funded feral cat |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/5489/Tennent_Jaclyn_2005.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |