The impact of the feral cat (Felis catus) on the native fauna of Aldabra atoll, Seychelles

Feral cats (Felis catus) have had devastating effects on island ecosystems throughout the world. The history, distribution and ecology of the feral cat on Aldabra Atoll (a World Heritage Site) is summarized, and used with information from studies of feral cats elsewhere, to assess their impact on native fauna. Despite virtually all of the Aldabran fauna being potentially vulnerable to cat predation, no native species have (apparently) become extinct. Cats are however having an impact, the most dramatic being that all the sea-birds and many land birds restrict their nesting to the few cat-free sites, and that the flightless White-throated rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus) survives on two islands where cat populations have yet to become established. These impacts are sufficient to recommend that the cat population should be eradicated, but in practice this would be impossible using the currently available techniques suitable for use on Aldabra.Seabrook, Wendy. The impact of the feral cat (Felis catus) on the native fauna of Aldabra atoll, Seychelles. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 45, n°2, 1990. pp. 135-145