Pests

Bumble Bees sightings on King Island have been reported April 2020. The community is asked to watch out for and report any bumble bee activity.

European Wasps have been baited on King Island in the past with success. Nests finish in autumn with new queens going off to hibernate over winter. They will then form new nests in Spring.

The community is asked to watch out for and report any wasp activity including hibernating queens in wood piles, freight, and warm spots.

European Wasp (Vespula germanica)

Not to be confused with the Native flower wasp (Thynnus zonatus)

Wasp nests should be treated with extreme caution as disturbance may provoke wasps to attack and multiple stings can be life threatening. Let someone know where you are and what you are doing if you are attempting to control European wasps. Registered pest controllers are recommended to locate and destroy wasp nests.

For further Information on European Wasps, visit the DPIWE

website

DOMESTIC CATS ON KING ISLAND

Legislation

Compulsory microchipping and desexing of cats

From 1 March 2022, legislation in Tasmania requires all cats over the age of four months to be microchipped and desexed (some exceptions made – refer to the Cat Management Act 2009).

Keeping a maximum of four cats

From 1 March 2022, a person must not keep more than four cats over the age of four months on an individual property without a multiple cat permit (exceptions apply – refer to the Act).

For further information, please see https://www.tassiecat.com/legislation or to apply for a permit, visit https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/responsible-cat-ownership/multiple-cat-permits

You can also download a copy of TassieCat’s legislation brochure.

Selling or giving away cats

Any cat that is to be sold or given away must be at least eight weeks old, desexed and microchipped, wormed and vaccinated prior to sale (some exclusions apply – refer to the Act).

Subsidised Cat Desexing Program for King Island residents

From 1 February 2024, eligible King Island Council residents had their cats desexed and microchipped for free, while funding lasted.

The National Desexing Network 1300 368 992, urges residents to get their cats desexed between 2 and 4 months of age as female cats can become pregnant from just 4 months old and can breed continuously after that. Male cats are less likely to fight, roam and spray when desexed. For More Info

Responsible Cat Ownership – TassieCat.com

TassieCat is a state government-funded initiative focused on keeping cats and communities safe through partnerships with local government and key stakeholders. Information and resources focus on:

Your legal obligations as a cat owner
The benefits of microchipping and desexing your cat
Cat health
Containing your cat and keeping it happy and healthy indoors
Transitioning your cat to an indoors lifestyle
Cats in the neighbourhood and issues around strays

Downloadable content is also available across a range of topics, and includes the Cradle Coast Regional Cat Management Strategy

Further information on responsible ownership and cat behaviour available at www.TassieCat.com, or on the TassieCat Facebook page.

Issues with cats

Toxoplasmosis

Studies have shown that 80% of feral cats in Tasmania have been exposed to toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis can infect a wide variety of warm-blooded hosts, but requires cats for transmission and can live in the environment for up to 18 months.
Toxoplasmosis in humans: Tasmanians have a higher prevalence of toxoplasmosis than on the mainland. Most people catch toxoplasmosis and have no symptoms, but pregnant women and immuno-compromised individuals can develop serious acute illness.
Toxoplasmosis in agriculture: costs an estimated $12 million in lamb losses each year, can also infect pigs, goats and less commonly cattle and horses.
Toxoplasmosis in wildlife: can be fatal to a wide variety of mammals, including bandicoots, wombats, possums, pademelons and wallabies.

Wildlife harm

Feral cats in Australia are estimated to kill 2 billion animals a year.
Roaming pet cats kill 390 million, but this can be in a much higher density around residential areas.
Cats can kill between 5 and 30 animals per day.
With two of the most endangered birds in Australia living on King Island (the King Island Brown Thornbill and the King Island Scrubtit), it is important that we reduce the threat of introduced predators on our native wildlife.

Other considerations

Nuisance concerns
Other zoonotic diseases and parasites, such as Sarcocystis and Cat Scratch Disease

KING ISLAND CAT SURVEY – MARCH 2023

Conducted by Cradle Coast Authority

194 respondents
36% of survey respondents own at least one cat
94% of respondents said all of their cats are desexed
74% of survey participants stated that their cats were microchipped and 17% said that their cat has no form of identification (microchip OR collar)
31% let their cat roam freely, and only 57% keep their cats confined to their property while around 11% sometimes contain their cats on their property
79% of respondents see cats that they don’t own on their property at least a few times a year, and 24% of these see them daily. This is a concern for 66% of respondents.
84% of respondents are concerned about feral cats on the island, 67% see feral cats at least weekly.

FERAL CATS ON KING ISLAND

Feral cat management on King Island

The work of King Island Landcare Group (KILG) is informed by the Invasive Species Management – King Island Cat Management Plan 2008 – 2013 and King Island Cat Control Project -June 2010;
Cat management work KILG is currently undertaking includes:
- Coordinating landholders using cage traps for feral cats on private land, including informing trappers of their responsibilities under Tasmanian legislation;
- loaning cat traps to landholders;
- currently more than 20 individuals are active in trapping feral cats;
- collecting information about feral cats for research by Deakin University staff and students;
- KILG has also applied for funding to subsidise de-sexing and microchipping of domestic cats.
Regional Cat Management Coordinator for the North-Western Region based at the Cradle Coast Authority, Kylie Ashley, and TassieCat have a role in assisting councils with the promotion of responsible cat ownership.
Meanwhile, Cradle Coast Authority are working with Biosecurity Tasmania’s Invasive Species Branch to trial some innovative feral cat management techniques on King Island. The first of these is a trial of the latest Felixer cat grooming traps.
- Cradle Coast Authority’s Regional Natural Resource Management Committee has funded the lease of four Felixer cat grooming traps for a non-lethal trial and then potential activation on King Island.
- Biosecurity Tasmania is the responsible authority for operation of the Felixers (under an APVMA permit) and all relevant permissions will be obtained before installation of the new technology.

King Island Council’s Role

King Island Council has discretion to enforce statutory requirements but can actively support community initiatives at little cost. The Northwest Regional Cat Management Coordinator and TassieCat have a role in assisting councils with the promotion of responsible cat ownership.

Council may make by-laws under the Local Government Act 1993 in relation to the management of cats within its municipal area. In order to support the protection of property from cats and control costs to Council, local Veterinarian services can be prescribed under the Cat Management Act 2009 to operate Cat Management Facilities.

Many King Island Landcare programs in the past have involved education about responsible cat ownership, desexing assistance, feral cat trapping and monitoring.

King Island Landcare has also done considerable work on management of feral cats on the island:

King Island Cat Management Plan 2008 – 2013

King Island Cat Control Program 2010

Feral Deer Population Control –

King Island is classified as zone 3, so “no deer” is the broad management objective of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. In recognition of the increasing challenges landholders face managing deer, there is no limit on the number of antlerless (any female deer, male fawns and antlerless males) deer that can be taken under a hunting licence or permit. The decision to tag male deer taken using Property Protection Permits in Zone 3 is at the discretion of the land manager.

Knowing the extent of the problem is an important part of managing the feral deer population. Trail cameras are being used to estimate deer abundance and geographic distribution in areas supporting low to medium abundance of the species. King Island community can help the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania implement their Management Plan by recording sightings. Download the DeerScan app. – easy to use and uploads data to ensure we know where the deer are

Bird flu (avian influenza)

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is an infectious disease of birds and is caused by several different strains of the bird flu virus. It spreads between both wild and domesticated birds and certain strains can infect mammals including seals, livestock and occasionally humans.
For further info on risks for humans and symptoms, see here
For signs of avian influenza in wild birds here

Keeping Australia HPAI free

HPAI strain H5N1 has spread to multiple continents which means that there is a higher risk the virus will be introduced into Australia with the return of migratory birds. More info
Surveillance to detect any HPAI virus in wild birds is important. Part of this work includes collecting swabs from ducks that are shot during the duck season or shot/trapped at any time for crop protection.
Members of the public are also being asked to report any sick or dying birds right away to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Protect your poultry and pet birds

Avian influenza is a contagious, viral disease affecting wild, commercial, and domesticated bird species. More info
Wild birds can carry diseases such as avian influenza, Newcastle disease and Salmonella. There is a small risk that they could infect domestic poultry or even pet birds. A few basic precautions will minimise that risk:
• Store bird or poultry feed and feed it out in a manner that avoids contamination from wild birds and rodents.
• If your birds are free range ensure the feeder is protected under shelters or in special feeders that deter mixing with wild birds rather than having feeders out in the open.
• Ensure wild birds cannot access your bird or poultry water supply, as this can be another significant contamination risk. A protected water supply, straight from the tap, is best. If you have to use dam water, you should chlorinate it.
• Always wash hands thoroughly after handling your birds, collecting the eggs, cleaning out their cages or bird baths or doing anything else that involves coming into contact with them or their droppings.
• If you attract birds into your garden with bird feeders, ensure that they are placed in areas where you are unlikely to be in contact with their droppings.
• Prevent your cat from killing and eating wild birds.
• Clean bird areas at least once a week and clean and disinfect feed containers regularly.

Last Updated on 24 August 2026