SBS News In Depth

Feral cats are one of the biggest threats to Australia's native wildlife, having contributed to the extinction of at least 20 mammal species. In this interview, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy explains how researchers are tackling the problem through habitat restoration, targeted control programs and cutting-edge genetic research. The discussion also explores why Australia's wildlife is especially vulnerable to cats, the role of pet cats in wildlife decline, and why experts remain hopeful that many threatened species can recover. Paulien Roessink from SBS Dutch is speaking to Joey Clarke from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

In this interview, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy explains how researchers are tackling the problem of feral cats and their impact on native wildlife. These are the main points of the interview:
Feral cats are a major driver of Australia's extinction crisis
Cats have spread across more than 99% of Australia and have played a significant role in the extinction of at least 20 native mammal species, contributing to Australia's record as the world's worst country for mammal extinctions.
Cats have a broader impact than foxes
While foxes are also a serious threat, cats occupy a much larger range across Australia, including areas where foxes are absent. Together, cats and foxes have devastated populations of small and medium-sized native mammals such as bandicoots, bettongs and hopping mice.
Researchers are testing multiple ways to control feral cats
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy is combining traditional methods such as fenced wildlife sanctuaries, baiting, trapping and shooting with habitat management strategies, including improved fire regimes and removing feral herbivores to make landscapes safer for native species.
Genetic research could offer a future breakthrough
In partnership with CSIRO, researchers are mapping feral cat genomes to better understand population movements and explore the long-term possibility of genetic biocontrol technologies that could reduce cat populations over generations.
Protecting wildlife and pets can go hand in hand
The interview highlights that free-roaming domestic cats also have a significant impact on wildlife. Keeping pet cats contained not only protects native animals but can also safeguard cats from threats such as bird flu and other environmental risks.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Julia Lee from Shaw and Partners about the days market action, including a rate rise from another global central bank, it's implications for Australia, and why more investors are turning to fixed income products.

In the Torres Strait Islands, a new approach to land conservation is helping combat the effects of sea level rise by giving community a role in how they adapt to climate change.

The federal government says Labor’s long-awaited immigration reforms are designed to bring net migration down, ease pressure on housing and close what it describes as loopholes in the visa system. But what does that look like for farmers, current international students and migrant workers?

As world leaders prepare to gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, conflicts are burning from Ukraine to the Middle East and Sudan. These wars may have different origins, but their consequences are increasingly crossing borders, testing alliances, disrupting trade and drawing other countries into their orbit. So, how will these tensions play out at this year's General Assembly?