Spatial ecology of invasive feral cats on San Clemente Island: implications for control and management

摘要: Feral cats, Felis catus, inhabiting San Clemente Island, California, are both predators and competitors of multiple sympatric endemic species. To improve our understanding management these invasive predators, we used GPS-equipped radiocollars to track 11 (6F:5M) cats for a total 3,108 days, resulting in 15,419 GPS locations. Average 100% minimum convex polygon, 95% kernel density, 50% density estimates were 229, 132, 33 ha, respectively. The point estimate average male home-range size was larger than the females, but there substantial variation among individuals sexes. Overlap indices indicated similar usage areas during nocturnal diurnal time periods. Sample limited ability definitively detect habitat preference, data suggested within 50 m roads avoided, that thicker land cover preferred over open grasslands. Three test collars deployed active cat home ranges locations precise, with 96% having < 10-m error estimates, horizontal dilution precision not useful screening data. Our results describe feral spatial ecology on semiarid island can be inform population estimation, control, mitigation programs.