The First DNA Analysis Suggests Feral Cats Kill Far More Australian Wildlife Than Thought

Australia has lost more than 40 mammal species in 238 years, the worst conservation record in the world, and the first DNA-based analysis of feral cat diets suggests those cats are killing considerably more native animals than earlier stomach-content studies indicated. Genetic sequencing picks up prey that traditional methods miss entirely, including small reptiles and soft-bodied animals that leave no identifiable remains.