Progress in the eradication of the feral cat (Felis catus) and recovery of the native fauna on Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico

A significant reduction in the population of feral cats (Felis catus) on Socorro Island, part of Mexico's Revillagigedo Archipelago, has led to a notable recovery of native fauna. The study reports that between 2011 and 2015, 413 feral cats were removed using soft leg-hold and lethal traps, with an accumulated effort of 22,706 trap-nights. This eradication campaign, initiated by Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas (GECI), has resulted in the complete absence of cats from several areas of the island by mid-2016. The removal of feral cats has contributed to the recovery of the endemic Socorro tree lizard (Urosaurus auriculatus) and terrestrial birds, such as the Townsend's shearwater (Puffinus auricularis). The study also highlights the successful eradication of feral sheep in 2012, which led to a rapid recovery of vegetation cover. The research underscores the importance of continued trapping efforts, the use of detection dogs, and night hunting to complete the cat eradication by early 2017.

Ortiz-Alcaraz, A., Aguirre-Muñoz, A., Arnaud-Franco, G., Galina-Tessaro, P., Rojas-Mayoral, E., Méndez-Sánchez, F., & Ortega-Rubio, A. (2017). Progress in the eradication of the feral cat (Felis catus) and recovery of the native fauna on Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico. Therya, 8(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-17-425