Moreton Island feral cat euthanised by Brisbane City Council, outraging locals

Fury as mammoth feral cat dubbed the ‘Tangalooma puma’ is euthanised with a crow and bandicoot still digesting in his stomach: ‘It was doing its best to survive’

  • Outraged residents lashed out at a local council after large feral cat was killed
  • The pest was caught in a trap and euthanised by Queensland Parks and Wildlife
  • Residents questioned why the cat couldn’t have been relocated instead of killed 

Outraged feline lovers have lashed out at a local council after a mammoth feral cat responsible for killing native wildlife was captured and killed.

The 6.8kg feline had earned the name ‘Tangalooma puma’ and was regarded as a pest on the protected Moreton Island, off the coast of southeast Queensland.

A resident caught the cat in July after setting up a humane trap he had learned to make in a workshop run by Brisbane City Council.

The creature was then euthanised by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 2014.

An autopsy on the feral cat revealed it had the remnants of a crow and a bandicoot in its stomach, proving it had been killing native wildlife on the protected island and had killed both the animals less than 48 hours before its own death. 

Residents are allowed to have pets in the township areas of Moreton Island but given most of the island is national park, pets are largely forbidden for anyone travelling. 

While many were happy the feral cat had been euthanised, a photo of the feline shared online sparked backlash from residents, who claimed the size of the animal was not that big and that it should have been relocated.

Outraged residents have lashed out at a local council after a large feral cat was captured and killed

‘Poor cat was doing its best to survive,’ one person wrote. ‘Wish it could have been relocated instead of killed.’

A second added: ‘My cat was almost 10kg… 7kg seems like a normal sized house cat’. 

‘Omg the animal ate a crow and a bandicoot… should be killed for eating says everyone…NOT!’ one resident wrote.

‘Why would you kill it though?’ a second one added.

A Tangalooma Island Resort eco ranger and a Brisbane City Council officer had spotted the animal in April and dubbed it the ‘Tangalooma puma’. 

The ranger had spotted furry cat scats while giving school students a tour of the island then tracked the droppings to the animal. 

A photo of the cat was shared online sparking backlash from residents who claimed the size of the cat was not that big and that it should have been relocated

A photo of the cat was shared online sparking backlash from residents who claimed the size of the cat was not that big and that it should have been relocated

A resident then set a trap made of bird wings, cat urine, a rubber-lined leghold trap and a CD suspended above the physical constraint.

Brisbane City Council provides workshops on how to set the traps so the animals can be captured ‘humanely’. 

The council said it would continue to engage with the community and teach on ‘best practice feral cat trapping technique courses for the residents on Moreton Island/Mulgumpin to manage feral cat populations on council land’. 

Feral cats are regarded as an invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act 2014.

They prey on small small mammals, birds and reptiles and are considered to be threatening to critically endangered species such as bilbies and nail tail wallabies. 

Daily Mail Australia contacted Brisbane City Council for comment. 

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