Using para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) as a tool to control feral cats in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

The impact of feral cats on native wildlife is becoming increasingly recognised worldwide, making their management a necessity. As New Zealand's Predator Free 2050 goal leads to larger and more ambitious landscape scale programmes, there is an important need for cost- and time-effective tools. Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) was first registered in New Zealand for feral cats and stoats in 2011 under the name PredaSTOP (R) and has higher target specificity for feral cats than currently used toxins. Following a successful trial of PAPP on Toronui Station, Hawke's Bay in 2017, a larger operation was undertaken in 2018 across 9123 ha of the Poutiri Ao o Tane project area in Hawke's Bay. Camera traps were used to monitor the relative abundance of feral cats on Opouahi Station (treatment site) and at Waitere Station(non-treatment site). A network of 287 bait stations was established in 500 m grid spacings across the treatment site. Two applications of non-toxic pre-feed minced meat baits were followed by two applications of toxic PAPP baits. PAPP baits were dyed green and contained 80 mg of PredaSTOP (R) in the centre of the bait. Each application of PredaSTOP (R) consisted of two baits placed at either end of each bait station. Toxic baits were removed from at least 130 bait stations. We assume that >= 130 feral cats are likely to have been killed, resulting in a 39% reduction in the relative abundance of feral cats after the operation. Our results suggest that PAPP has the potential to be a useful management tool across large areas alongside other methods.