Funding to fight WA’s invasive feral felines spread around the State as the next round of applications opens

The Federal Government has ramped up its war on feral cats to put an end to millions of native animals being killed each year.

Via the Feral Cat Management Program, the State Government has joined the war with grants totalling $2 million over four years to be made available.

Recipients of the first round of funding were announced last month, with five groups each receiving a portion of $500,000.

Round two of funding was opened last month with the community groups and non-for-profits relevant to conservation encouraged to apply.

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council and Bush Heritage Australia both received a significant portion of the round’s funding and are planning to put it towards various projects around the South West and beyond.

Bush Heritage Australia received $123,162 to improve feral cat management in the Mid West and South West, protecting unique native animals such as the malleefowl and chuditch.

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council received $245,425, with $61,560 being given on behalf of the WA Feral Cat Working Group implementing feral cat strategies across the State.

The remaining PHCC funds will be used in the Defending Dryandra Project, helping protect the State’s ‘biggest population of numbats.

Further funding was granted to the Oyster Harbour Catchment Council and Desert Support Services - Kiwirrkurra Indigenous Protected Area Rangers.

WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby said he looks forward to celebrating the outcomes of these individual projects in the future.

“Feral cats are the most destructive single species in Australia, costing the national economy $300 million per year in damage and population control measures,” he said.