Is the Felixer cat control device safe for marsupial carnivores?

Context. The Felixer grooming device ('Felixer') is a lethal method of feral cat control designed to be cost-effective and target specific. Aims. This study aims to test the target specificity of the Felixer in Tasmania, with a particular focus on Tasmanian devil and quoll species due to the overlap in size, habitats and behaviour between these native carnivores and feral cats. Methods. Our study deployed Felixer devices set in a non-lethal mode in nine field sites in Tasmania, one field site in New South Wales and two Tasmanian wildlife sanctuaries. Key results. Our study recorded 4376 passes by identifiable vertebrate species including 528 Tasmanian devil passes, 507 spotted-tailed quoll passes and 154 eastern quoll passes. Our data showed that the Felixer can successfully differentiate quoll species from feral cats with spotted-tailed quolls and eastern quolls targeted in 0.19% and 0% of passes, respectively. However, Tasmanian devils and common wombats were targeted in 23.10% and 12% of passes, respectively, although sample size was low for common wombats (n = 25). Conclusions. The Felixer could not reliably identify Tasmanian devils and possibly common wombats as non-target species. Further data is needed to confirm the potential for impacts on the common wombat and other potential non-target species in Tasmania, and the likelihood of the toxin being ingested by falsely targeted individuals.

Automated summary

This study aimed to test the target specificity of the Felixer grooming device in Tasmania. The results showed that the Felixer could successfully differentiate quoll species from feral cats, but could not reliably identify Tasmanian devils and common wombats as non-target species.