Biodiversidade em risco: o impacto de gatos domésticos sobre a fauna silvestre em parque urbano

Abstract

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is an invasive non-native species, globally distributed and known to negatively impact biodiversity. In urban ecosystems, free-ranging cat populations persist due to human subsidies and the lack of effective policies on public education, responsible ownership, adoption, and population control. These animals cause multiple impacts, including direct predation, indirect and sublethal effects, competition with native predators, and the transmission of pathogens to wildlife and humans. Our objective was to quantify and qualitatively assess the interactions between cats and wildlife, with a focus on predatory behaviors. The study was conducted in a colony historically established in the Parque Municipal Américo Renné Giannetti, an urban green area that functions as an ecological corridor, wildlife refuge, and resting and feeding site for resident and migratory species within the anthropogenic landscape of a tropical metropolis (Belo Horizonte, Brazil). The research was based on the analysis of prey remains in the diet, systematic behavioral observations, and the evaluation of wildlife occurrence records. The results documented predation on a wide range of taxa, from small insects to birds of different orders, bats, marsupials, and synanthropic rodents, totaling 29 taxa/species. These findings reaffirmed the generalist and opportunistic nature of predation, in which cats hunted indiscriminately and exhibited high lethality. Predatory behavior was independent of sex, age, or reproductive status, indicating that this behavior is largely innate and expressed independently of individual characteristics. Conversely, a higher frequency of predation events occurred near feeding stations. We conclude that the presence of cat colonies compromises the role of PqMARG as an urban ecological corridor, while also exposing the cats themselves to risks. Thus, mitigating these impacts requires integrated strategies, based on the "One Health" approach, that link biodiversity conservation, public health, animal welfare, and territorial management.