Politecol

Fat, well-fed cats kill too… and they do it for fun

- Wayne Linklater • Mar 05, 2014

• cats,
• cats and native wildlife,
• Environment and Ecology,
• native wildlife,
• urban ecology

On our way down to the local corner store for the Saturday morning paper my 5- and 1-year-old daughters and I meet a feline ritual. At the front gate of a home half-way down, every day without fail stands a generously fed black moggy with white socks and nose, long hair, and an inviting purr. She sits reliably waiting for … Read More

Killing to save, saving to kill – hunting rhino

- Wayne Linklater • Jan 27, 2014

• Conservation hunting rhino,
• Dallas Safari Club,
• Environment and Ecology,
• horn,
• Hunting,
• IUCN,
• poaching,
• rhinoceros,
• US Fish & Wildlife

Resurgent killing for horn that is then traded on the international black market for thousands of dollars a gram threatens to undo two decades of progress recovering the black rhinoceros from near extinction. Countries are mobilising and people are dying protecting rhino from international crime syndicates that out manoeuvre and out gun them. Do not … Read More

Annihilate, really? – show me the evidence

- Wayne Linklater • Dec 18, 2013

• #cats-to-go,
• #catstogo,
• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cat,
• ecology,
• Environment and Ecology,
• mesopredator release,
• native wildlife,
• predation,
• Raglan,
• science communication,
• scientific evidence,
• urban wildlife

The nation missed an important opportunity at Raglan. If cats have been removed from the Raglan community then, had we the time beforehand to prepare, we could have tested whether cats were a beneficial urban predator, as claimed here and here. Cats on evidence. Evidence on cats… and their relationship with other … Read More

1

Cats can’t kill it, if it is not there

- Wayne Linklater • Dec 13, 2013

• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cats,
• Dr. John Flux,
• Environment and Ecology,
• exotic,
• native,
• Peng You,
• predator,
• prey,
• urban

For cats to be a “beneficial urban predator” they must largely kill the exotic predators and competitors of native animals. Dr. John Flux believes his 17-year record of the prey one cat brought to him [1] proves that cats are good for native wildlife in cities. His belief featured prominently in the media to … Read More

4

There is always more than one cat

- Wayne Linklater • Dec 07, 2013

• #catstogo,
• cat density,
• cat predation,
• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cat,
• environment and ecology,
• native wildlife,
• Peng You

Cats might be a “beneficial urban predator” according to Dr. John Flux and his conclusion featured prominently in the media to have a major influence on the public debate about cats and native wildlife. But Dr. Flux’s conclusion has relied heavily for evidence from just one cat [1]. Dr. John Flux, and the … Read More

2

Presence of native species, not evidence all is hunky-dory

- Wayne Linklater • Nov 26, 2013

• #catstogo,
• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cat,
• Environment and Ecology,
• Peng You,
• predation,
• predator density,
• prey,
• urban wildlife

Just because native species persist in our backyards despite being hunted by predators, like cats, it does not mean their populations are healthy. Our backyard can be a sink-hole for native species. Each killed is replaced by recolonisers who are themsleves be killed (photo source: inhabitat.com) Cats might be a “beneficial urban predator” according to Dr. John Flux. Read More

5

Dr. Flux’s cat misleads us

- Wayne Linklater • Nov 18, 2013

• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cat,
• environment and ecology,
• Peng You,
• predation,
• prey,
• urban

Our cats bring us only a fraction, less than half, of their prey and we are less likely to see the small, more palatable prey, like small reptiles and nestlings (Source: www.kittycat.co.za). Cats are a “beneficial urban predator” according to Dr. John Flux and his conclusion featured prominently in the media to have a … Read More

4

Dr. Flux’s cat and science communication

- Wayne Linklater • Nov 12, 2013

• #catstogo,
• cats and native wildlife,
• domestic cat predation,
• Dr. John Flux,
• Environment and Ecology,
• native prey,
• New Zealand Journal of Zoology,
• Peng You,
• science communication,
• science publication standards

In the heat of public debate about cats and their impact on native wildlife, what scientific evidence did the media most use to inform? Mostly they used Dr. John Flux’s article [1] about one cat published in the New Zealand Journal of Zoology in 2007. Dr. John Flux’s cat, Peng You, who brought home … Read More

5

Academic profiling – unwise, unfair, unethical, but common?

- Wayne Linklater • Oct 29, 2013

• academic profiling,
• Don McKinnon,
• Mark Hauser,
• paul callaghan,
• PBRF,
• university rank

University rankings can be useful. They can also be used inappropriately to discriminate inaccurately and unjustly. Dr. Mark Hauser at Harvard University – consistently amongst the world’s highest ranked universities – was found guilty of scientific miscounduct, fraudulent science in 2012 – an example of why the university a person is employed at is a poor metric of … Read More

5

Business standards of sustainability

- Wayne Linklater • Sep 25, 2013

• AIA,
• ANZ,
• DJSI,
• Dow Jones,
• Environment and Ecology,
• ethical investing,
• green economy,
• RobecoSAM,
• Socially Responsible Investing,
• SRI,
• Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor’s Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) has been released. Three large New Zealand companies, apparently, made the list. Auckland International Airport (AIA) Ltd. made it for a second time. Australia-New Zealand Banking Group, a routine member of the index, also celebrated its sustainability achievement – global leader in banking. While ANZ is not a … Read More