Recently I attended a talk about the environment of the Southwest of Australia given by the Chief Scientist of Western Australia at the Maritime Museum. During the obligatory slide about invasive species and their damaging effects on native fauna I was shown photos of foxes curled up serenly and feral cats looking almost demonic with red eyes and jagged teeth. This isn't the first time I have seen these types of images, they're pretty stock standard when giving a presentation on conservation in Australia. Invasive species have caused horrifc damage to the natural balance of things in this country. However, time and time again I have a very....I suppose controversial...feeling of saddness for the plight of those feral species.
I'm not denying their impact on the environment. I'm not saying I have a grand plan that will protect our native landscape and these displaced critters all in one go. I wish I did. I also fully acknowledge straight up that feral species inflict great damage and suffering to native fauna. Their lives are equally as important. They also deserve to live a life without pain.
Clearly the foxes, toads, cats, horses, rabbits, camels, rats etc of the world did not plan to arrive in Australia. There was no axis of evil conference back in the day where invasion was mapped out. The ancestors of our invasive species were forcibly removed from their original natural habitats where they were part of the environmental balance and plonked down here by foolish but presumably well meaning humans. Basically it's all our fault. Now who pays? Well the Australian environment pays for sure, terribly! The descendants of those first ferals pay as we bait, shoot and generally shun. The things we're permitted to do to these animals are almost identical to what people did to each other during our darkest moments in history.
Feral cats are wild creatures, no doubt. If I approached one, cat lover that I am, I'd be surprised if I didn't lose a limb. Whose fault is that? Not the cat's I would argue. What choice does it have but to be fierce? How else could it survive its' abandoned life if it didn't rely on its innate abilities to protect and provide for itself?
I think one of the things that upsets me the most, along with the individual suffering of each of the feral animals baited or shot, is the glee that many people exude when carrying out these death sentences. Farmers hate rabbits, cats, foxes etc, but cattle are free to alter the Australian landscape...no worries mate. As a country many of us adore and dote on our cats and dogs, rabbits and horses. But those living on the fringe, in the wild, are despised.
Under the rough exterior, the feral cat is not so different from the loved up moggie by the fireside at home. One has been discarded by society, through the selfish acts of humans such as being too lazy to desex their own cats, the other is (rightly) adored and respected. Cat owners have a responsibility not only to the cat (keeping him healthy, happy, fit and safe) but to the world (making sure the cat is desexed, is not disturbing native fauna, is vacinnated etc). Doesn't human society at large have the same responsibility for ALL creatures? Isn't that part and parcel of our species being stewards of this remarkable planet? We're fortunate enough to live here, top of the food chain as it were....surely we need to give back?
As the old saying goes "With great power, comes great responsibility".
I'm just saying how I feel.
