It's mindblowing how there's some people who say "oh, these guys don't deserve to die, they’re so cute and cudly!" True, they don't. But they’re not more important than the "insignificant" animals they destroy.
And why are the animals they kill important? What moral value does a marsupial or bird have? It's just biomass going around on instinct. Just because it's "rare" doesn't mean shit. There is no metaphysical force in the universe that is lost if some species goes extinct. Earth is not an eternal Eden we have a moral obligation to maintain in a state of permanent stasis. You literally can't even explain your quasi-religious fake moral system at all. You can't do it. All you can do is say "They have a right to exist!" (why? who gave them that right?) or "Wow, just wow, why would you even question it?" (as if that constitutes an argument) or some variation of moral attack from a position of nowhere that you can't even articulate.
I’m not even joking. I have to make a speech for year 12 English by Tuesday and my topic is “the necessity to cull invasive species in Australia.” I can’t believe this came up on my recommended. You’re a lifesaver!
Here in Tassie, around 85% of feral cats tested positive for toxo antibodies (sample size around 250). This level is apparently some of the highest in the world. Toxo affected native critters are not fun to deal with. We've recently strengthened rules regarding cats, including breeding and trapping laws. If only we could take the same approach to pigs, deer, and rabbits.
I was going to address the disease spreading aspect of ferals but the video was already getting quite long. Toxo is terrible, it'll cause abortions in a lot of mammal species.
My partner was telling me that there was a program done in Queensland where they killed 10000 feral pigs and it didn’t even make a dent in the population. I’m pretty sure I heard that there’s more feral pigs than people in Australia. They also did tests on the pigs that were killed and discovered that they were riddled with leptospirosis…
Yeah, down my way we fairly frequently see toxo afflicted wallabies, and it's always a sad sight. They're basically delirious, totally lacking awareness of you until you get up really close. And when they eventually do run, it's usually straight into a fence because they're so out of it. Always find them dead a couple days later.
As an indigenous person, as well as a zoologist and conservationist, the topic of invasive and feral animal populations is one that gets me incredibly emotional at times. You're 100% correct; It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of bad news and harsh realities, but we are seeing so much success in many different spaces all across the world and that is something to be inspired by. I'm glad that we're genuinely starting to see the start to a turn in public opinion on some ferals (though heaven knows we need a damn miracle to convince entitled cat owners) and videos like this do a lot to shed light on the reality of what's happening. Fantastic and entertaining work as always! Much love from Turtle Island! ✨
It's just sad and scary how diehard some cat owners are when it comes to "NO MY BABY WILL BE A FREE ROAMING CAT >:( HOW DARE YOU SAY OTHERWISE!!", To the point i'm starting to think they'd rather see millions of innocent and unique animals die than to give up their precious cat or have it neutered... Hope they start just fining owners a couple grand for letting their cats roam, I bet they'd make the decision to have their cats be indoor cats in seconds.
@@YTisCensorship It's legal to trap cats. You cant kill them, but trapping them and taking them to the pound might be the best we can do on an individual level. The cat owners may call the police about it, but I have reasons for knowing that unless the local council has specifically forbidden trapping the police will probably let it slide.
Hay ,if the tazzy devils took out the foxes and they originally from the mainland..... wouldn't it be a good idea to breed them and release them on mainland to take care of the, rabbits ,rats,cats and foxes ? ......I mean obviously there be some downsides but wouldn't it be worth it
@@DS.proudkiwiit’s been floated as an idea before, the issue is repopulating them first. They’re still being ravaged by that contagious cancer they have as a species, we need to get their numbers up first, as well as quolls for the same purposes.
@@YTisCensorshipyou work yourself up when you convince yourself the calculation is cat’s want > the lives of countless naive animals. Many owners either don’t know, or they’ve got lazy cats that don’t hunt. Anecdotally I’d say more than half of domestic cats laze around outside. For the remainder, mandatory spaying, chipping and night curfews put it so far down the list of other things to protect native populations. Growing up we had cats that minded Guinea pigs and refused to chase mice when we wanted them to. The habits of cats raised from young by humans are well studied into and support that. When you tell someone it’s a problem you see people who don’t care about the environment. They see a dramatic know it all.
Anytime I visited nth QLD where I used to live I would do the same with mates by playing Cane Toad cricket - even at one point we went out one night found a large broken fence paling and managed to impale 7 cane toads and create a cane toad skewer - as gory as it sounds gotta do your part for the environment and native wildlife
I hate to break it to you, but you're not even making a dent. I left home in Northern NSW 20 years ago and have just returned, the amount of introduced species and plants that have invaded the area in that time is horrifying 😢
@@mikle2129 Why be cruel about it though? The same people who complain about people wanting to save the fluffy bunnies and foxes just because they are cute, also trend to be the people who will take joy in harming and maiming animals, just because they are non-native. You'd be outraged if people in other cultures were taking cricket bats to stray dogs that were creating issues, or spearing pygmy elephants in Borneo. It is weird to take enjoyment out of harming animals, regardless of their native status. Eradication can be done humanely. And it is weird that so many feel the need to share and brag about these exploits with a sense of pride...
And you know what, they're missing out. Our cat is an indoor cat and I mean she has never been outside since we got her 10 years ago. And she's snuggly and interacts with us so much more than friends cats who go outside. She is an absolute character. People have told us it's cruel, but it's way more cruel to unleash an incredible predator in an environment that isn't used to them.
"bUt ItS cRuEl To KeEp TheM InSidE" then walk them on a leash or get an outdoor enclosure. if you cant do either of those things dont own a pet because you cant guarantee their safety or the safety of other local animals
Let me just say first that I agree, cats should not be allowed outdoors. However, free roaming pets are not the same thing as feral animals, these are 2 separate problems. And one is much, much worse than the other. I say this because otherwise some people might be tempted to harm a beloved family pet.
SO glad my inside cats are *inside cats* - I knew it was bad (I thought they'd be number one), but Jesus, those numbers sent a chill down my spine. Thanks for all the work you do, man, so many cat owners need to hear this stuff, esp the ones still letting them outside (and not via a catio).
This is why I’m a good cat owner, my cat has been indoors her entire life like a **pet** and have convinced several friends to do the same, I know it’s not much but it’s something.
My mother and I took feral cats in and adopted them, their farm cats and as we have a lot of rabbits here they strictly only hunt those as their easy prey for them. I do always keep an eye on them when I see them go into stalk mode with the birds. As always it comes down to responsibility. We're currently in the process of moving and as it's not a farm we're going to set up an enclosure for them so they'll be contained. But If you desex your cats and don't let them loose frivolously the problem can be resolved. People just need to be responsible owners, and if you see a feral cat and it warms up to you make an effort to adopt them, that's my stance on it. Those two cats by the by have hunted over 50 rabbits over period of 5 years, it's gruesome but their doing there part.
Take the Belgrave train and talk about the lines history with Taitset then to go on a bush walk to look at native animals with the Backyard Naturalist!
"Introduced species don't have to directly kill natives to be a problem, stealing their food is as good as tying the noose" *Europeans standing over the bodies of tens of millions of bison in North America*
yeah, people will try to justify it by saying "my cat isn't happy and always bored indoors" they're bored because they don't even interact or play with them, an insane amount of cat owners don't even buy them cat trees, toys and other cat enrichment to keep them happy and engage natural behaviours. They don't want to use catios and leashes because they don't like them being "restricted or confined" which is hypocritical considering half of these people also own dogs and I bet most of them don't even take their dogs on regular walks or to parks. Letting them outside just proves they're lazy, like why even bother having a cat? letting cats loose outside should be considered a form of neglect/abuse.
@@critterc0rneryeah if you think a cat isn't happy in a house and you aren't willing or able to make an outdoor enclosure then you simply shouldn't get a cat. Some people really don't deserve to have animals.
Easy to succumb to melancholy - too right. Talk about educationally depressing. This video clarified, even with the occasional comedic remark, which almost fell on deaf ears due to the detailed analysis of the horror that has been taking place. Then, unexpectedly, unheralded news of the works to bring life back to the undead before it's too late. This was an extraordinary and exceptional documentary, Mr B Naturalist. Kudos to you for this. By the end a smile had begun to resurface. Never stop, Darcy, you are a Greenpeace warrior even if you're not. Cat-ass-trophy to the cat owners on this continent.
I drive 3 hours to go hunting in state forest pine plantations where feral do little damage. Meanwhile in the national park down my street foxes and feral cats are decimating the local birds and lizards. It’s time national parks opened up to hunting as they’re unable to adequately manage feral populations.
there's always the risk of hunters, accidentally or otherwise, taking out native animals. and how well parks are doing varies greatly by region, and depends heavily on conservation groups, their work and their funding (or lack thereof). if people actually made noise about this stuff to their local and state governments then the problem would be a lot less severe
I'm constantly impressed with the quality of your videos - the humour, the info, perfectly blended *chef's kiss*. Side note: I love my cat but ABSOLUTELY he is indoor only, with a small-gauge-wire cat run for birdie-safe outdoor sunbathing and zoomies.
There was a cat curfew enforced in my area, but only because a local pollies cat broke it's leg on a late night out. Right play, but for the wrong reason.
Brilliant video mate. It’s good to see some of the successes that are happening. I must admit I was surprised that there had been any success at all. That’s great to see
brilliant vid mate, I've done bush regen, both blackberry and lantana are my nemesis, also grew up rural and seen the damage from everything except camels, but many people haven't got a clue how bad it really is
There's a wonderful book all about Australian native rodents, surprisingly we have MANY more than most other countries that at 100% unique to Australia. More people need to know about them to not mistake them with feral speices.
Maybe I'm imagining, but that music at the blackberry section sounds very much like AoE music... I love the content of this channel, but having that music takes that appreciation to the next levels. Absolutely love your work, keep it up!
"The grass is greener when you turn your enemies into fertilizer". This was pure gold man, as were all your countless other puns and quips throughout the video. You wield a very sharp pen my friend, and you use it well.
@@theFatLadyOutfit I am a wizard, of course I have a staff! Fool of a Took! If they try to take it away from me I make a big fuss and escalate to max level. You can't just take an old man's walking stick after all, can you?
The rabbit issue makes me sad. I understand how destructive they are, but gosh are those diseases horrendous to witness. We have 2x pet rabbits. They are desexed, fully indoors, never ever let outdoors. There's no vaccine for myxomatosis in Australia, so our pet rabbits who will never have the chance to do harm to the environment are at risk. We lost our previous pair of bunnies a year ago this week, from RHDV. They were also desexed, and never went outdoors. There is a good vaccine for RHDV in Australia, but our awful old vet had advised against it since they were fully indoors. Massive regret on that one, but anyways - my point is that even responsible pet owners are impacted by these diseases and the death from these viruses are horribly painful and myxomatosis specifically is a slow death.
They are horrible, it's one more thing on the pile of things that makes colonialism so awful in the first place. I honestly think we're very lucky to be allowed to still keep rabbits (and cats etc.) as pets here at all in this country. I'm very sorry for what you've experienced, and how fresh that awful loss is, and that you had such a terrible vet on this matter! It only takes one bushwalk and stepping on rabbit poop to bring it back inside without realising (or even just...walking across a sports oval / public grassed area). Vets should know better.
@@PiaRavenari yep, you're spot on - it can also be on food.. It can be on pretty much everything. I think we're keeping the company that makes F10 disinfectant in business with how many bottles we've gone through
Wouldn't it work to breed tazzy devils and release them on the mainland to take care of the ,cats, rabbits, foxes and things..... seeing as they are originally from the mainland
both pet owners and wildlife rn face the consequences of invasive species and the diseases they carry. Have you thought about any specific ways to raise awareness among other pet owners about the importance of vaccination and the risks involved?
Yes a Feral Tv reference 🔥🔥 A great video highlighting all the problems with introducing non natives. Sometimes they don’t even have to be from another country to cause problems they could be from another state Acacia’s (Wattles) are a great example. Prickly Pear was insane and one of the worst weed outbreaks ever. America unfortunately introduced Paperbarks to Florida and you know paperbarks well then let’s just say it didn’t go well for them.😔 Looking forward to the next video👍🏼
The story of Peel-Harvey Estuary in 2018 really eye opening about how dangerous feral cats are... cause it only takes 1 cat. There was a seasonal nesting being observed by researchers... they counted 111 nests for an endangered species, the locals and researchers were proud of this fact. When the hatching started in less than two weeks one cat (desexed, but not microchipped or collared) killed six adults, 40 chicks and scared off the rest of the adult birds resulting in all 111 nests/eggs to be destroyed by other animals.
and people to this day still defend letting their cats roam unattended they dont care that the average life expectancy goes from 10-15 years down to 5 or the massive issues with native animals they cause. there should be serious penalties for irresponsible owners
You tell cat owners and they either say "My cat doesn't!" (yes it fucking does you muppet), or they simply just don't give a fuck because they care more about some wanker kicking a ball through two posts than they do the fucking place they live in
One thing to mention is also the wild horses/brumbies that cause significant trampling damage like cattle. In the snowy mountain area it's particularly bad because of all the forests and cooler climates which are home to hundreds of small species of critters & plants.
They’re pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things. It’s the native noisy miners that are the worst in cities and human environments cause of their aggressiveness to other birds and adaptability.
I am curious what you think of the 1080 poison, I know some people are vehemently against it because people have lost pets to it, but with WA animals being resistant to the poison (as the compound is found in plants here) it has been an effective tool to rid the landscape of feral foxes, pigs , dogs, rabbits and cats. I guess the thing that needs to be asked is how are peoples pets getting to this poison in the first place and why are we letting so many non-native species roam so far from home to the point where they could come across 1080 bait zones, I do think the poisoning is pretty inhumane as far as how the animal dies but again I question why people are letting their dogs and cats get to the poison. Thanks for the video also, this is a subject I am pretty passionate about, especially with the regulation of peoples pets
Not all WA native animals are resistant to it (and some argue none are truly resistant, with highly varying levels of tolerance). I think only about 2-10% of the baits are ever taken by ferals, and as a result, populations are rarely significantly effective enough to make meaningful change (the government's approach as a result has changed. Landowners can apply to use it, but the more common airdrops that used to happen across national parks around 20 years ago is no longer happening as often). There are species targeted baits (like Eradicat) that show more success in studies. But mostly we think of our native herbivorous marsupials as being resistant so it's "okay" when almost all native rodents, as well as quolls, potoroos and raptors that prey on animals that died via 1080 etc. are all pretty susceptible. 1080 baiting led to a giant drop in tiger quoll pop. in one study, specifically due to bait consumption. So the baits were way worse on them than wild dogs could ever be. :/ Also, for those who support native dingos as a population, 1080 is brutal. It really sucks that we don't have a neat and tidy answer. I think 1080 is better than nothing, esp. if the cross-section of fauna in an area being baited is studied and already vulnerable species who get harmed by 1080 aren't present (drastically reducing range - but still better than nothing). It's extremely rare that pets get into bait zones unless someone's bushwalking with an off leash dog and ignored all the signs. It's usually feral dogs and feral cats. Both can be many many many generations removed from their domesticated counterparts, sometimes having gone easily over 60 years without any of their lineage seeing the inside of a house. Multigen feral cats are very hard to rehabilitate for that reason (and often keep behavioural issues more commonly associated with wild species), they're literally kind of 'built different.' I hate poisoning, but I wish we had something more effective and species targeted than 1080. Rabbits have RHDV, if there was something for cats / foxes etc. that had a vaccine for domesticated pets... I mean it's not ideal, but the current situation definitely isn't. People waiting for an easy answer will be left with a broken desertified nation with many, many more extinctions in the meantime. A lot of people I think just vehemently argue against the idea of any animal (esp ones that could have been pets) being poisoned, it's a gruesome, painful, horrible way to die, though no wild animal has a very nice death most of the time, which I think people forget. Anyway, I feel that passion! I just wish we had more strategies/options. Even if they were better poisons and/or targeted diseases.
1080 is definitely a tool in the feral control toolbelt. Same with trapping and shooting. Yeah I don't see how pets would end up coming into contact with 1080 unless the owners are irresponsible. None of the current measures are silver bullets but they're better than doing nothing. Curious to see how the felixer trap goes.
Whoohoo! New Backyard Naturalist! Also, yeah thank for covering this. Its hard to get through to some people that its not enough to care about certain lives, like the brumbys or cats, when our native ecosystems are at risk. Those ecosystems contain many more lives and pleanty of them unique to our continent.
This was a really good video. I love watching your videos and my parents enjoy it when I show it to them. I think you can really make a difference when it comes to making people care about our amazing ecosystem down under.
Politics. The result of a policy being watered down to just get approval. Cause cat lovers didn't want them to die so 30% of people in Australia own/love cats... thats a swing vote, even in a local council chamber or Federal government. Its why cat curfews and harsher action have been a 40 year "suggestion" in Australia. Always debated, never acted upon.
I didn’t know that was the case but it sounds similar to a lot of programs mostly for insects where releasing infertile populations especially males is a lot more effective than fruitless and expensive culling.
My cats dont step foot(paw) outside unless they are in their catnet that surrounds my back deck, gotten into so many arguments with people in the street who let their cats free roam. Not only is it about protecting natives, but do you not care for your own pet either?? People infuriate me
Very informative, thanks for making us all more aware of the devastation these animals and plants have had to the country and glad to know the situation is getting much better.
It's frustrating how little people care that their pet kills hundreds of animals a year. I can't believe it's still even legal to breed and sell them in Australia. Good and important video. Can't wait for a Taitset crossover.
Liked and sub'd. As someone blessed with proximity to regular Platypus sightings on Hobart Rivulet, an Echidna burrow under our garden shed, we despise the ferals (mostly rabbits and cats).
This is genius. Your mastery of puns is next level (I’m not going to say it’s puntastic because that would punishingly poor … a good pun should be its own reword. No, that punch line isn’t punny.) But seriously … love how you make educational content so entertaining. And I, for one, am looking forward to the Taitset crossover! 🤓 👌
I get the need to control introduced species, but i also think it's pretty funny to talk about them like them like they're these evil creatures hellbent on destroying the the native ecosystem. They're just animals, they don't know any better. Even the british colonists didn't knowingly mess things up, they just didn't understand how nature works as well back then. I get that it's meant to be a fun video, I just think it's a point worth mentioning. Love your work!
Well done on covering such a near endless subject. Nicely finished with the theme song 🥳 notice buffle grass missed a mention. It was declared a weed in the NT just recently, much celebration was too be had 🎉
I just did a 100km horse ride through guy fawkes np. I have never seen so many ferals. Over 200 brumbies, cattle pigs, rabbits, cats, goats,deer, blackberry's lantana everywhere. Beautiful country and wild to see horses galloping through the river in groups of 30+ but almost unimaginable what it would look like without all of them... :( weediest national park I've been to.
Just realised I never saw this upload, just checked my notification bell and it was on 'personalised'? Didn't know it had sub types. Anyway changed it to 'all' so hopefully I don't miss another!
Australia is a continent of small mouse size mammals, because the large ones all disappeared when the first Australians arrived. Dingo helped wipe out more.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
It's mindblowing how there's some people who say "oh, these guys don't deserve to die, they’re so cute and cudly!"
True, they don't. But they’re not more important than the "insignificant" animals they destroy.
*shoves pictures of bettongs into them folks' faces*
the brumby horse enthusiasts in kosciuszko national park, can't believe they pick horses over the entire ecosystem
100% agreed. It's not the animal's fault, it's the humans that brought them there. And now it's our responsibility to make things right.
It the iconic thing is people would gladly kill cane toads but spare cats and rabbits because of pretty factor.
And why are the animals they kill important? What moral value does a marsupial or bird have? It's just biomass going around on instinct. Just because it's "rare" doesn't mean shit. There is no metaphysical force in the universe that is lost if some species goes extinct. Earth is not an eternal Eden we have a moral obligation to maintain in a state of permanent stasis. You literally can't even explain your quasi-religious fake moral system at all. You can't do it. All you can do is say "They have a right to exist!" (why? who gave them that right?) or "Wow, just wow, why would you even question it?" (as if that constitutes an argument) or some variation of moral attack from a position of nowhere that you can't even articulate.
22:37 "The grass is greener when you turn your enemies into fertilizer." is such a hard quote.
Needed the late James Earl Jones for that one.
Capitalism in a nutshell. Only replace enemies with fellow man.
Yeah I think I’m keeping that one
@GodlyAtheist the worst aspect of capitalism is the inherent globalism and deracination it causes in mtly race
I’m not even joking. I have to make a speech for year 12 English by Tuesday and my topic is “the necessity to cull invasive species in Australia.” I can’t believe this came up on my recommended. You’re a lifesaver!
Let the plagiarism begin!
Finally, a "I'm watching this video instead of studying" comment with a positive spin
@@peripheralparadox4218better than chatgpt
Best of luck!
Double check if the teacher grading you is a cat lover or not first, or just don't mention cats.
Here in Tassie, around 85% of feral cats tested positive for toxo antibodies (sample size around 250). This level is apparently some of the highest in the world. Toxo affected native critters are not fun to deal with. We've recently strengthened rules regarding cats, including breeding and trapping laws. If only we could take the same approach to pigs, deer, and rabbits.
I was going to address the disease spreading aspect of ferals but the video was already getting quite long. Toxo is terrible, it'll cause abortions in a lot of mammal species.
My partner was telling me that there was a program done in Queensland where they killed 10000 feral pigs and it didn’t even make a dent in the population. I’m pretty sure I heard that there’s more feral pigs than people in Australia. They also did tests on the pigs that were killed and discovered that they were riddled with leptospirosis…
Yeah, down my way we fairly frequently see toxo afflicted wallabies, and it's always a sad sight. They're basically delirious, totally lacking awareness of you until you get up really close. And when they eventually do run, it's usually straight into a fence because they're so out of it. Always find them dead a couple days later.
didn't know it can pass to other critters
yeah, each of these species poses unique challenges and can disrupt ecosystems in different ways
As an indigenous person, as well as a zoologist and conservationist, the topic of invasive and feral animal populations is one that gets me incredibly emotional at times. You're 100% correct; It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of bad news and harsh realities, but we are seeing so much success in many different spaces all across the world and that is something to be inspired by. I'm glad that we're genuinely starting to see the start to a turn in public opinion on some ferals (though heaven knows we need a damn miracle to convince entitled cat owners) and videos like this do a lot to shed light on the reality of what's happening.
Fantastic and entertaining work as always! Much love from Turtle Island! ✨
It's just sad and scary how diehard some cat owners are when it comes to "NO MY BABY WILL BE A FREE ROAMING CAT >:( HOW DARE YOU SAY OTHERWISE!!", To the point i'm starting to think they'd rather see millions of innocent and unique animals die than to give up their precious cat or have it neutered...
Hope they start just fining owners a couple grand for letting their cats roam, I bet they'd make the decision to have their cats be indoor cats in seconds.
@@YTisCensorship It's legal to trap cats. You cant kill them, but trapping them and taking them to the pound might be the best we can do on an individual level. The cat owners may call the police about it, but I have reasons for knowing that unless the local council has specifically forbidden trapping the police will probably let it slide.
Hay ,if the tazzy devils took out the foxes and they originally from the mainland..... wouldn't it be a good idea to breed them and release them on mainland to take care of the, rabbits ,rats,cats and foxes ? ......I mean obviously there be some downsides but wouldn't it be worth it
@@DS.proudkiwiit’s been floated as an idea before, the issue is repopulating them first. They’re still being ravaged by that contagious cancer they have as a species, we need to get their numbers up first, as well as quolls for the same purposes.
@@YTisCensorshipyou work yourself up when you convince yourself the calculation is cat’s want > the lives of countless naive animals. Many owners either don’t know, or they’ve got lazy cats that don’t hunt. Anecdotally I’d say more than half of domestic cats laze around outside. For the remainder, mandatory spaying, chipping and night curfews put it so far down the list of other things to protect native populations. Growing up we had cats that minded Guinea pigs and refused to chase mice when we wanted them to. The habits of cats raised from young by humans are well studied into and support that. When you tell someone it’s a problem you see people who don’t care about the environment. They see a dramatic know it all.
Every time I go to my auntie's place in NSW, I always make sure to take out some cane toads before I leave
Based
Anytime I visited nth QLD where I used to live I would do the same with mates by playing Cane Toad cricket - even at one point we went out one night found a large broken fence paling and managed to impale 7 cane toads and create a cane toad skewer - as gory as it sounds gotta do your part for the environment and native wildlife
I hate to break it to you, but you're not even making a dent.
I left home in Northern NSW 20 years ago and have just returned, the amount of introduced species and plants that have invaded the area in that time is horrifying 😢
@@mikle2129 Why be cruel about it though?
The same people who complain about people wanting to save the fluffy bunnies and foxes just because they are cute, also trend to be the people who will take joy in harming and maiming animals, just because they are non-native. You'd be outraged if people in other cultures were taking cricket bats to stray dogs that were creating issues, or spearing pygmy elephants in Borneo. It is weird to take enjoyment out of harming animals, regardless of their native status. Eradication can be done humanely. And it is weird that so many feel the need to share and brag about these exploits with a sense of pride...
@@mikle2129I crucified one once
Thanks for another great video. It's so important to get the word out on this important issue.
Thanks mate!
I hate how many people who let their cats just free roam outside all day and night. Bloody things are decimating the local fauna.
They should get the same sorts of fines as rabbit owners (in qld at least)
And you know what, they're missing out. Our cat is an indoor cat and I mean she has never been outside since we got her 10 years ago. And she's snuggly and interacts with us so much more than friends cats who go outside. She is an absolute character. People have told us it's cruel, but it's way more cruel to unleash an incredible predator in an environment that isn't used to them.
"bUt ItS cRuEl To KeEp TheM InSidE"
then walk them on a leash or get an outdoor enclosure. if you cant do either of those things dont own a pet because you cant guarantee their safety or the safety of other local animals
Let me just say first that I agree, cats should not be allowed outdoors. However, free roaming pets are not the same thing as feral animals, these are 2 separate problems. And one is much, much worse than the other.
I say this because otherwise some people might be tempted to harm a beloved family pet.
@@uzetaab Letting out domesticated animals is exactly how we got ferals in the first place
The best science communicators are able to entertain and speak in simple terms... and you sir are the best!
I support that taitset crossover. You and Martin are two of the best on this website
SO glad my inside cats are *inside cats* - I knew it was bad (I thought they'd be number one), but Jesus, those numbers sent a chill down my spine. Thanks for all the work you do, man, so many cat owners need to hear this stuff, esp the ones still letting them outside (and not via a catio).
so catios are good?
@@rosebrown715 Catios are great, I just phrased it badly. Leashes are good too but a lot of cats don't tolerate them well if not trained to them.
Thank you for caring about your pets and our native species.
Your one of the good ones, please keep being awesome ❤
This is why I’m a good cat owner, my cat has been indoors her entire life like a **pet** and have convinced several friends to do the same, I know it’s not much but it’s something.
My mother and I took feral cats in and adopted them, their farm cats and as we have a lot of rabbits here they strictly only hunt those as their easy prey for them. I do always keep an eye on them when I see them go into stalk mode with the birds. As always it comes down to responsibility. We're currently in the process of moving and as it's not a farm we're going to set up an enclosure for them so they'll be contained. But If you desex your cats and don't let them loose frivolously the problem can be resolved. People just need to be responsible owners, and if you see a feral cat and it warms up to you make an effort to adopt them, that's my stance on it. Those two cats by the by have hunted over 50 rabbits over period of 5 years, it's gruesome but their doing there part.
"Not much" in the context of the continent, but at a local level that's tens of thousands of creatures you've saved.
Take heart and keep it up.
That is cruelty to cats
@@retrohidalgo4024it’s not lol
7:38 I don’t know what it could even be about but I would kill for a Taitset crossover
Take the Belgrave train and talk about the lines history with Taitset then to go on a bush walk to look at native animals with the Backyard Naturalist!
Thanks for raising the awareness!!
"Introduced species don't have to directly kill natives to be a problem, stealing their food is as good as tying the noose"
*Europeans standing over the bodies of tens of millions of bison in North America*
In England they even wiped out the wolves.
👍 Human’s stealing habitat is much harder on the native animal population than any introduced animal.
This video is absolutely fantastic, extremely informative and your production quality is excellent. Thanks Darcy!
Cat can liv happily indoors and can be traind to go for walks. No exscuse to let them loose
Even if you adopt an older cat that is used to being let outside you can build a catio
yeah, people will try to justify it by saying "my cat isn't happy and always bored indoors" they're bored because they don't even interact or play with them, an insane amount of cat owners don't even buy them cat trees, toys and other cat enrichment to keep them happy and engage natural behaviours. They don't want to use catios and leashes because they don't like them being "restricted or confined" which is hypocritical considering half of these people also own dogs and I bet most of them don't even take their dogs on regular walks or to parks. Letting them outside just proves they're lazy, like why even bother having a cat? letting cats loose outside should be considered a form of neglect/abuse.
@@critterc0rneryeah if you think a cat isn't happy in a house and you aren't willing or able to make an outdoor enclosure then you simply shouldn't get a cat. Some people really don't deserve to have animals.
You could be trained the same way.
@@critterc0rner this exactly. The replys are 100% lazy cat owners and a pervert idk why that one dude thought he ate with that one reply.
Easy to succumb to melancholy - too right. Talk about educationally depressing. This video clarified, even with the occasional comedic remark, which almost fell on deaf ears due to the detailed analysis of the horror that has been taking place. Then, unexpectedly, unheralded news of the works to bring life back to the undead before it's too late. This was an extraordinary and exceptional documentary, Mr B Naturalist. Kudos to you for this. By the end a smile had begun to resurface. Never stop, Darcy, you are a Greenpeace warrior even if you're not. Cat-ass-trophy to the cat owners on this continent.
Poetically put as always mate!
Not all cat owners are irresponsible owners.
Really needed that pick me up at the end of the video. Thanks for another great watch!
These are honestly amazing, as an Ecologist and bush nerd I'm amazed no one has done this before. Keep it up!!
"The grass is greener where you turn your enemies into fertiliser" goes hard ngl
Almost as hard as the before and after shot of the same area with and without rabbits. Chilling.
I drive 3 hours to go hunting in state forest pine plantations where feral do little damage.
Meanwhile in the national park down my street foxes and feral cats are decimating the local birds and lizards.
It’s time national parks opened up to hunting as they’re unable to adequately manage feral populations.
there's always the risk of hunters, accidentally or otherwise, taking out native animals. and how well parks are doing varies greatly by region, and depends heavily on conservation groups, their work and their funding (or lack thereof). if people actually made noise about this stuff to their local and state governments then the problem would be a lot less severe
Mate you make fantastic videos! Even as an Aussie I learn stuff, and they're a beautiful showcase of our gorgeous country. Keep it up!
I saw the alert from YT, immediately stopped baking pretzels and started watching this video
Hold up! You can’t just drop that and not provide any details. Can we get a pretzel recipe in here?
When that Age of Mythology music hits during the segment about the blackberries. Made this interesting video even better.
Broo I thought I was the only one to notice
Prostagma?
@ Metaleps
I'm constantly impressed with the quality of your videos - the humour, the info, perfectly blended *chef's kiss*.
Side note: I love my cat but ABSOLUTELY he is indoor only, with a small-gauge-wire cat run for birdie-safe outdoor sunbathing and zoomies.
There was a cat curfew enforced in my area, but only because a local pollies cat broke it's leg on a late night out. Right play, but for the wrong reason.
Another Backyard Naturalist vid LES GOOO!!! 🥰
Brilliant video mate. It’s good to see some of the successes that are happening. I must admit I was surprised that there had been any success at all. That’s great to see
brilliant vid mate, I've done bush regen, both blackberry and lantana are my nemesis, also grew up rural and seen the damage from everything except camels, but many people haven't got a clue how bad it really is
There's a wonderful book all about Australian native rodents, surprisingly we have MANY more than most other countries that at 100% unique to Australia. More people need to know about them to not mistake them with feral speices.
My cats won’t be killing any wildlife because they live inside! All cats should have to be kept inside by law, 100% of the time!
Yep. Did that. Mainecoons lazy anyway. Long time ago.
Did you just build a cat prison?
Maybe I'm imagining, but that music at the blackberry section sounds very much like AoE music...
I love the content of this channel, but having that music takes that appreciation to the next levels. Absolutely love your work, keep it up!
"The grass is greener when you turn your enemies into fertilizer". This was pure gold man, as were all your countless other puns and quips throughout the video. You wield a very sharp pen my friend, and you use it well.
I bet you don't have a yo own staf
@@theFatLadyOutfit I am a wizard, of course I have a staff! Fool of a Took! If they try to take it away from me I make a big fuss and escalate to max level. You can't just take an old man's walking stick after all, can you?
Studying animal science and got the fortune to live in Aussie for 2 years, the wildlife here is insanely beautiful thanks for the vid.
The rabbit issue makes me sad. I understand how destructive they are, but gosh are those diseases horrendous to witness. We have 2x pet rabbits. They are desexed, fully indoors, never ever let outdoors. There's no vaccine for myxomatosis in Australia, so our pet rabbits who will never have the chance to do harm to the environment are at risk.
We lost our previous pair of bunnies a year ago this week, from RHDV. They were also desexed, and never went outdoors. There is a good vaccine for RHDV in Australia, but our awful old vet had advised against it since they were fully indoors. Massive regret on that one, but anyways - my point is that even responsible pet owners are impacted by these diseases and the death from these viruses are horribly painful and myxomatosis specifically is a slow death.
They are horrible, it's one more thing on the pile of things that makes colonialism so awful in the first place. I honestly think we're very lucky to be allowed to still keep rabbits (and cats etc.) as pets here at all in this country. I'm very sorry for what you've experienced, and how fresh that awful loss is, and that you had such a terrible vet on this matter! It only takes one bushwalk and stepping on rabbit poop to bring it back inside without realising (or even just...walking across a sports oval / public grassed area). Vets should know better.
@@PiaRavenari yep, you're spot on - it can also be on food.. It can be on pretty much everything. I think we're keeping the company that makes F10 disinfectant in business with how many bottles we've gone through
Wouldn't it work to breed tazzy devils and release them on the mainland to take care of the ,cats, rabbits, foxes and things..... seeing as they are originally from the mainland
both pet owners and wildlife rn face the consequences of invasive species and the diseases they carry. Have you thought about any specific ways to raise awareness among other pet owners about the importance of vaccination and the risks involved?
Oh well, you knew about the vaccine and chose not to use it - that’s a you problem
Yes a Feral Tv reference 🔥🔥
A great video highlighting all the problems with introducing non natives.
Sometimes they don’t even have to be from another country to cause problems they could be from another state Acacia’s (Wattles) are a great example.
Prickly Pear was insane and one of the worst weed outbreaks ever.
America unfortunately introduced Paperbarks to Florida and you know paperbarks well then let’s just say it didn’t go well for them.😔
Looking forward to the next video👍🏼
The story of Peel-Harvey Estuary in 2018 really eye opening about how dangerous feral cats are... cause it only takes 1 cat.
There was a seasonal nesting being observed by researchers... they counted 111 nests for an endangered species, the locals and researchers were proud of this fact. When the hatching started in less than two weeks one cat (desexed, but not microchipped or collared) killed six adults, 40 chicks and scared off the rest of the adult birds resulting in all 111 nests/eggs to be destroyed by other animals.
First video of yours I've watched and the Taitset comment earned a sub. Looking forward to watching more from you! You've got a great sense of humour.
This is the most informative video yet 🙌 Love your content
Thank you 🙏
Thanks
Probably your best video so far mate!
and people to this day still defend letting their cats roam unattended
they dont care that the average life expectancy goes from 10-15 years down to 5 or the massive issues with native animals they cause.
there should be serious penalties for irresponsible owners
You tell cat owners and they either say "My cat doesn't!" (yes it fucking does you muppet), or they simply just don't give a fuck because they care more about some wanker kicking a ball through two posts than they do the fucking place they live in
One thing to mention is also the wild horses/brumbies that cause significant trampling damage like cattle. In the snowy mountain area it's particularly bad because of all the forests and cooler climates which are home to hundreds of small species of critters & plants.
Great video. Also to add Phillip Island in Victoria have eradicated foxes from the island to protect the little penguins.
That's true and I know French island is making headway with that
dude your vocabulary and the way you arrange words is beautiful for real... like such lowkey bangers all througout
Truly great stuff. Please don’t stop making videos.
Indian Myna birds and Pigeons should have been in the honorable mentions too
They’re pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things. It’s the native noisy miners that are the worst in cities and human environments cause of their aggressiveness to other birds and adaptability.
Exquisite music choice through the video as always! :) love the fallout one
I am curious what you think of the 1080 poison, I know some people are vehemently against it because people have lost pets to it, but with WA animals being resistant to the poison (as the compound is found in plants here) it has been an effective tool to rid the landscape of feral foxes, pigs , dogs, rabbits and cats.
I guess the thing that needs to be asked is how are peoples pets getting to this poison in the first place and why are we letting so many non-native species roam so far from home to the point where they could come across 1080 bait zones, I do think the poisoning is pretty inhumane as far as how the animal dies but again I question why people are letting their dogs and cats get to the poison.
Thanks for the video also, this is a subject I am pretty passionate about, especially with the regulation of peoples pets
Not all WA native animals are resistant to it (and some argue none are truly resistant, with highly varying levels of tolerance). I think only about 2-10% of the baits are ever taken by ferals, and as a result, populations are rarely significantly effective enough to make meaningful change (the government's approach as a result has changed. Landowners can apply to use it, but the more common airdrops that used to happen across national parks around 20 years ago is no longer happening as often). There are species targeted baits (like Eradicat) that show more success in studies.
But mostly we think of our native herbivorous marsupials as being resistant so it's "okay" when almost all native rodents, as well as quolls, potoroos and raptors that prey on animals that died via 1080 etc. are all pretty susceptible. 1080 baiting led to a giant drop in tiger quoll pop. in one study, specifically due to bait consumption. So the baits were way worse on them than wild dogs could ever be. :/ Also, for those who support native dingos as a population, 1080 is brutal.
It really sucks that we don't have a neat and tidy answer. I think 1080 is better than nothing, esp. if the cross-section of fauna in an area being baited is studied and already vulnerable species who get harmed by 1080 aren't present (drastically reducing range - but still better than nothing).
It's extremely rare that pets get into bait zones unless someone's bushwalking with an off leash dog and ignored all the signs. It's usually feral dogs and feral cats. Both can be many many many generations removed from their domesticated counterparts, sometimes having gone easily over 60 years without any of their lineage seeing the inside of a house. Multigen feral cats are very hard to rehabilitate for that reason (and often keep behavioural issues more commonly associated with wild species), they're literally kind of 'built different.'
I hate poisoning, but I wish we had something more effective and species targeted than 1080. Rabbits have RHDV, if there was something for cats / foxes etc. that had a vaccine for domesticated pets... I mean it's not ideal, but the current situation definitely isn't. People waiting for an easy answer will be left with a broken desertified nation with many, many more extinctions in the meantime. A lot of people I think just vehemently argue against the idea of any animal (esp ones that could have been pets) being poisoned, it's a gruesome, painful, horrible way to die, though no wild animal has a very nice death most of the time, which I think people forget.
Anyway, I feel that passion! I just wish we had more strategies/options. Even if they were better poisons and/or targeted diseases.
1080 is definitely a tool in the feral control toolbelt. Same with trapping and shooting. Yeah I don't see how pets would end up coming into contact with 1080 unless the owners are irresponsible. None of the current measures are silver bullets but they're better than doing nothing. Curious to see how the felixer trap goes.
Whoohoo! New Backyard Naturalist! Also, yeah thank for covering this. Its hard to get through to some people that its not enough to care about certain lives, like the brumbys or cats, when our native ecosystems are at risk. Those ecosystems contain many more lives and pleanty of them unique to our continent.
This is brilliant! So much comedy that a lot of people will miss it. Great job!
Nice Taitset shout out ! Melbourne based RUclipsrs assemble.
Mate, I come for the knowledge, but I stay for the ridiculous humour…”Ivan Milcat”, indeed.
This video is so good, very informative and entertaining.
This was a really good video. I love watching your videos and my parents enjoy it when I show it to them. I think you can really make a difference when it comes to making people care about our amazing ecosystem down under.
Another great video dude. Had tears at the end.....then the ferals theme song came on and I instantly had a smile back on my face 😂
Simply amazing.
Thanks for making
this is my favourite (probably only) aussie ecology channel.
Your music selections are fantastic, by the way 🥰
I like you ended this on a positive note. It's easy to feel doom and gloom reading these statistics, so it's great to know progress has been made.
I’ve never understood why you would catch, de-sex and release wild cats.
Politics. The result of a policy being watered down to just get approval. Cause cat lovers didn't want them to die so 30% of people in Australia own/love cats... thats a swing vote, even in a local council chamber or Federal government.
Its why cat curfews and harsher action have been a 40 year "suggestion" in Australia. Always debated, never acted upon.
I didn’t know that was the case but it sounds similar to a lot of programs mostly for insects where releasing infertile populations especially males is a lot more effective than fruitless and expensive culling.
Because people care more about their feelings than actually solving problems and protecting nature.
My cats dont step foot(paw) outside unless they are in their catnet that surrounds my back deck, gotten into so many arguments with people in the street who let their cats free roam. Not only is it about protecting natives, but do you not care for your own pet either?? People infuriate me
10. Feral cattle, including water buffalo
9. Rats
8. Plants: lantana and blackberries
7. Foxes
6. European / colonial humans
5. Goats
4. Cats
3. Pigs
2. Fungi - Phytophythora
1. Rabbits
Great video mate, i enjoyed the comical narrative many laughs, keep up the great work.
Beatrix Potter goes Mad Max. 5 words to evoke such a comedically over the top yet actually accurate statement.
Love the video! Well done!
Thanks mate!
Another well researched, well written, and enormously entertaining video!
Very informative, thanks for making us all more aware of the devastation these animals and plants have had to the country and glad to know the situation is getting much better.
Good sir, thank you again for such an amazing video. Such pun for all the family! You’re a true legend. ❤
legit the best vid on the feral species issue here in aus. thank u sm for sharing sure crucial information !!
It's frustrating how little people care that their pet kills hundreds of animals a year. I can't believe it's still even legal to breed and sell them in Australia. Good and important video. Can't wait for a Taitset crossover.
Liked and sub'd. As someone blessed with proximity to regular Platypus sightings on Hobart Rivulet, an Echidna burrow under our garden shed, we despise the ferals (mostly rabbits and cats).
Suddenly OG Fallout ambience, excellent goddamn choice. Only thing missing was from the Fungi section is spooky horror editing 👻
This vid should be required viewing. Keep up the good work!
I love your videos mate. Their informative and the dad jokes always make me chuckle. 🤭 thank you
Fantastic video. Super informative *and* entertaining
Literally in a birth suite right now and noticed a new video and had to watch immediately
In a birth suit? You naked?
As always, a great video.
Awesome video once again! You are a champion! ❤🎉 love your work!
Oh how fast i clicked! You sir are a national treasure for these incredible videos, i love every one of them ^_^
The Halo music at the end was like a shot of adrenaline directly inserted into my veins
This is genius. Your mastery of puns is next level (I’m not going to say it’s puntastic because that would punishingly poor … a good pun should be its own reword. No, that punch line isn’t punny.)
But seriously … love how you make educational content so entertaining. And I, for one, am looking forward to the Taitset crossover! 🤓 👌
Greatest video yet! Thank you.
I get the need to control introduced species, but i also think it's pretty funny to talk about them like them like they're these evil creatures hellbent on destroying the the native ecosystem. They're just animals, they don't know any better. Even the british colonists didn't knowingly mess things up, they just didn't understand how nature works as well back then. I get that it's meant to be a fun video, I just think it's a point worth mentioning. Love your work!
great vid! that bit at the end was reassuring after all the doom and gloom
“Beatrix Potter goes Mad Max”
I appreciate the dog with watermelon pic to combat the despair
Your commentary is just perfect 👌
Well done on covering such a near endless subject. Nicely finished with the theme song 🥳 notice buffle grass missed a mention. It was declared a weed in the NT just recently, much celebration was too be had 🎉
19:16 the legend himself and lord of the coights
Post coightus regret
Heard you on Triple RRR about Maggies swooping….Bloody Great. Well done.
I just did a 100km horse ride through guy fawkes np. I have never seen so many ferals. Over 200 brumbies, cattle pigs, rabbits, cats, goats,deer, blackberry's lantana everywhere. Beautiful country and wild to see horses galloping through the river in groups of 30+ but almost unimaginable what it would look like without all of them... :( weediest national park I've been to.
Just realised I never saw this upload, just checked my notification bell and it was on 'personalised'? Didn't know it had sub types. Anyway changed it to 'all' so hopefully I don't miss another!
The melon collie gag was quality - have a like
This was a great vid, thanks for making it.
Another brilliant episode ❤ Priceless
Awsome work! Keep it up ❤
Geez that Melon Collie joke got me good. Great video
Australia is a continent of small mouse size mammals, because the large ones all disappeared when the first Australians arrived. Dingo helped wipe out more.