Using trail cameras to estimate free‐ranging domestic cat abundance in urban areas

Elizondo, Elisa C.; Loss, Scott R.

doi:10.2981/wlb.00237

Cited by 31 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(58 reference statements)

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“…Domestic cats are associated with urban areas (Gehrt et al , Horn et al , Elizondo and Loss ) but are also subject to intraguild predation by coyotes (Crooks and Soulé , Grubbs and Krausman ). We expected site occupancy and colonization rates by domestic cats to be positively related to, and extinction rates negatively related to, the proportion of urban landcover surrounding sites.…”

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confidence: 99%

Land‐use change structures carnivore communities in remaining tallgrass prairie

2018

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The Flint Hills ecoregion is the largest remaining tract of native tallgrass prairie in North America. Contemporary landscape change (e.g., urbanization, agricultural production) in this region is likely affecting native biodiversity; however, we have a limited understanding of how these changes might affect carnivores. We used camera traps distributed across urban‐rural land‐use gradients, and multiseason occupancy models, to investigate the influence of landscape structure and composition on habitat occupancy dynamics of 3 native carnivores (coyote [Canis latrans]; bobcat [Lynx rufus]; and striped skunk [Mephitis mephitis]) and 1 nonnative carnivore (domestic cat) in the Flint Hills, Kansas, USA, during 2016–2017. Additionally, we assessed the potential for coyotes, the apex predator in the Flint Hills, to mediate habitat occupancy of domestic cats. We also examined the relative influence of landscape factors on native carnivore species richness and diversity. As predicted, coyotes were less likely to occupy and colonize sites, and more likely to leave sites, surrounded by urban landcover. Habitat occupancy by bobcats was positively associated with forest landcover and edge densities; however, bobcats seemed insensitive to urban landcover. Additionally, bobcats were more likely to colonize sites with more grassland and row‐crop agriculture landcover. Surprisingly, striped skunk occupancy and colonization rates at sites were negatively related to urban landcover. As expected, domestic cats were more likely to occur at and colonize sites with increased urban landcover and less likely at sites with high coyote occupancy probabilities. Carnivore species diversity and richness were negatively related to the urban landcover. Our results suggest that urban landcover may limit the spatial distributions of some native carnivores in the Flint Hills and contribute to reduced carnivore diversity. Moreover, urban landcover in the Flint Hills may provide domestic cats with refugia from intraguild pressures by coyotes. Our results provide wildlife managers with insights into how contemporary landscape change in this imperiled ecosystem may affect biodiversity conservation and maintenance. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

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confidence: 99%

Land‐use change structures carnivore communities in remaining tallgrass prairie

2018

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“…Urban wildlife management can be difficult when the target population is highly integrated into residential areas. Other methods such as camera trapping, mark and recapture, scat sampling and even road mortality estimates can all pose problems in an urban environment where there is limited forest cover and abundant private property (Bengsen et al, ; Choquette & Valliant, ; Elizondo & Loss, ; Schmidt et al, ). Line transect distance sampling is a relatively noninvasive method for both the animal, and in cities with a tight road grid, it is noninvasive to the public.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ideally, to monitor effectiveness of the program there should be a population estimate of the target species before management practices begin (Dubois et al, 2017). Previous studies have used camera trapping, mark-recapture, and distance sampling to determine freeroaming cat populations (Bengsen, Butler, & Masters, 2011;Elizondo & Loss, 2016;Flockhart, Norris, & Coe, 2016;Schmidt, Roel, & Brian, 2007). However, some of these methods can be difficult in urban settings because of limited access to private property.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating feral cat densities using distance sampling in an urban environment

Hand

2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Synthesis and applications Estimating feral cat population densities in urban environments can be difficult due to lack of public space and human interference. The purpose of this study was to use distance sampling in a citywide landscape to determine population size and areas of high abundance to inform trap–neuter–release management. Line transect distance sampling was used to estimate density of the feral cat population in Windsor, Ontario from June to July 2014. Windsor has a human population of 217,188 and is about 146 km2 in size. Most transects were placed along local roads. Density was estimated at about 13.3 (95% CI 9.7–18.1) cats per km2, and an estimated population size of 1,858 cats (95% CI 1,361–2,537) cats with the highest relative density occurring in West and Central Windsor. Urban wildlife managers could utilize these methods to monitor feral cat populations and evaluate the effectiveness of trap–neuter–release programs.

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“…To contribute to addressing this research gap, we used trail cameras to estimate changes in cat abundance and the percentage of sterilized cats between the first and fifth years of operation of a TNR program in Stillwater, OK, USA. Specifically, in 2018, we repeated methods of an earlier study conducted in 2014, one year after the TNR program was initiated (Elizondo and Loss 2016). This past study included a stratified random approach to sample cat abundance, estimated 62 total cats across 15 camera locations, and included zero observations of sterilized cats.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This past study included a stratified random approach to sample cat abundance, estimated 62 total cats across 15 camera locations, and included zero observations of sterilized cats. Based on existing literature showing limited evidence of TNR's effectiveness, as well as Elizondo and Loss (2016) documenting no sterilized cats, we hypothesized that following five years of TNR there would be no significant decrease in cat abundance and only marginal increases in the percentage of sterilized cats.…”

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Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a trap–neuter–return program

et al. 2021

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Increasing free-ranging cat populations are a cause of concern for wildlife management and biodiversity conservation. Cats carry and transmit multiple diseases, annually depredate billions of birds and mammals in the mainland United States, and have caused extinctions and declines of wildlife populations worldwide. Trap-neuter-return (TNR) efforts, which entail trapping, sterilizing and releasing unowned free-ranging cats with the goal of reducing populations, have been implemented globally despite limited evidence of their ability to reduce cat numbers. To assess the effectiveness of a TNR program initiated in 2013 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA, we used trail cameras at 15 locations to estimate changes in cat abundance and the percentage of ear-tipped (i.e. sterilized) individuals between 2014 and 2018. We reviewed photographs to identify individual cats, and after accounting for detectability with mark-resight analyses, we estimated a non-significant decrease in abundance from 62 to 48 total cats across sampled locations. In 2018, approximately 27% of cats were eartipped compared to 0% in 2014, yet this percentage remains far below estimated sterilization levels needed for TNR to reduce unowned cat populations. Although additional long-term monitoring is needed, our results suggest that TNR conducted at its current intensity is unlikely to reduce Stillwater's cat population. Our research adds further evidence to the growing body of scientific literature indicating that TNR is ineffective in reducing cat populations.

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Using trail cameras to estimate free‐ranging domestic cat abundance in urban areas

Cited by 31 publications

References 38 publications

Land‐use change structures carnivore communities in remaining tallgrass prairie

Land‐use change structures carnivore communities in remaining tallgrass prairie

Estimating feral cat densities using distance sampling in an urban environment

Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a trap–neuter–return program

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