ECOLOGICAL BLUNDERS AND CONSERVATION - THE IMPACT OF INTRODUCED FOXESAND CATS ON AUSTRALIAN NATIVE FAUNA

Many vertebrate extinctions followed the introduction of the exotic pr edators, the fox and the cat, to Australia. While experiments have con firmed the case against the Fox as a serious threat to endangered spec ies, there ore no direct experimental links showing recovery of prey p opulations following culling of cat numbers. This, coupled with the em otional attachment of many people to cats, has led to some opposition to their control, especially when limitations on the freedom of pets t o roam ore proposed. The introduced predator case is a stimulating exa mple for teaching aspects of the emerging discipline of conservation b iology and highlights the interplay of bioethics, public opinion, and biological principles in conservation decision-making. Suggested class room exercises allow students to compare and contrast experimental and non-experimental approaches to assessing predator impact, consider et hical issues in controlling predators for conservation, and reach thei r own conclusions on the impact of cats on local wildlife.