On the 26th July 2018, the feral cat was declared an established pest animal on specified Crown land in Victoria under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
The declaration applies to areas of Crown land managed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria, Phillip Island Nature Park and the four Alpine Resort Management Boards.
Feral cat control will be implemented by department and agency staff, and their agents, ensuring efforts are targeted to protect the threatened wildlife most at risk of predation by feral cats.
A code of practice will be developed in consultation with animal welfare organisations to guide and develop best practice for feral cat management.
Feral cats will not be declared as a pest animal on private land, meaning farmers and other private landholders will not be required to control feral cats.
Private land owners will still be able to manage cats roaming on their property in accordance with current laws.
Recreational hunters will not be permitted to hunt feral cats on Crown land, unless they are accredited volunteers operating in control programs managed by Parks Victoria or the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Feral cats are estimated to kill 466 million reptiles and 272 million birds in Australia every year.
For the full media release please click here.
For additional information, please visit the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website: here.