IN A PYTHONESQUE move designed to “save wildlife” Byron Shire Council is to test whether bibs made from wetsuit material will stop cats from destroying Byron Shire’s wildlife.
Not satisfied with committing Shire finances to roundabouts to the tune of over $3 million instead of fixing roads in the Shire, Council has seized on a university study claiming the bibs cut a cat’s destruction of wildlife by 80%.
The cat bibs, which are made of wetsuit material, attach to a collar and hang over the cat’s chest, acting as a barrier and interfering with the timing and coordination needed to hunt.
Malcolm Hamilton, Byron Shire Council’s Animal Enforcement Officer, said the cat bibs are an unusual concept but they could be a new way to protect native wildlife.
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“Murdoch University in Western Australia has proven the device stopped 80 percent of cats from catching birds and significantly reduced their ability to prey on small animals,” Mr Hamilton said.
“Roaming domestic cats are a threat to wildlife and they kill birds, lizards, frogs and native mammals including bandicoots and gliders,” he said.
“Council is always looking for ways to protect our native wildlife and the conservation and protection of our local environment is important to our residents,” Mr Hamilton said.
Council is looking for 30 cat owners whose animals are micro-chipped and registered, to take part in the trial of the cat bibs.
“We’re asking people to put the bibs on their cats when they are outside and record any wildlife attacks the cat has made and compare this to what happened before they wore the bib,” Mr Hamilton said.
“Byron Council is one of two councils in NSW to trial this program and the feedback from Eurobadalla Shire on the south coast is extremely positive,” he said.
The bibs do not impede cats and they can still run, jump, climb trees and groom.