A plan to remove all feral cats from Lungtalanana and reintroduce native species has hit a wall, with no funding from the federal government appearing to fit into the eradication plan.
Lungtalanana, or Clarke island, is located off the northeast coast of Tasmania, making up part of the Furneaux islands. It was officially declared Aboriginal Land in 2005, with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) noting the "impacts of farming, invasive and non-native animals and vegetation, and wildfire have caused significant damage" to the area.
The TAC want to remove feral cats - introduced by settlers to quell the rabbit population - and reintroduce a host of native species back onto Lungtalanana.
They believe the this fits in with the belief of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, who last year said she wanted to see a "feral cat-free Australia".
It is understood a new threat abatement plan for feral cats is being finalised in consultation with state and territory governments, which had given in-principle agreement.
TAC healthy country co-ordinator, Andry Sculthorpe told The Australian there were a series of animals they wanted to restore back on the island - including the long-nosed potoroo, and the New Holland mouse - but they needed funding.
"Our project is achievable on an offshore island where it can be maintained into the future. If the war on cats doesn't extend to those sorts of places, it's not really a war at all," Ms Sculthorpe said.
The TAC have been monitoring animals across Lungtalanana for several years, with help from Pakana and Truwana rangers and support from WWF-Australia's Rewilding Australia program.
Feral cats show little interest in food from traps due to the abundance of native animals available, with motion sensor cameras showing their vast movement across the terrain.
Recently, the white-fronted terns were discovered nesting on the island, meaning a large portion of the overall nesting population in Tasmania was under threat, with less than 60 estimated to be in the entire Furneaux islands.
However, The Australian reported the TAC has seen several funding applications rejected, despite believing its advanced plan to remove all 80 feral cats from Lungtalanana/Clarke Island had a strong chance of support from the Federal Government.
It was reported that despite broad support from scientific and environmental groups, no funding stream appeared to fit the $1 million eradication plan.
A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesperson told National Indigenous Times: "No approval has been sought from the Federal Environment Minister for cat abatement on the island".
It is understood a planned project to eradicate cats from the Lungtalanana and submitted under the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), but was unsuccessful.
TAC's work on the island also extends to cultural regeneration, with cultural burns, as well as a place of healing for community and a destination for wellbeing trips and youth justice programs.
There has also been a discussion around what animals existed on Lungtalanana/Clarke Island before invasion, and if they could be repatriated after the removal of feral cats and other invasive species.
