Estimativa populacional e distribuição espacial dos gatos domésticos (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) no Campus I da UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil - Monografia

Abstract

Domestic cats, especially strays, are a complex global issue involving sanitary dimensions within the context of One Health, as well as ethical and moral dilemmas. Urbanization and the reproductive cycle of the species contribute to the exponential increase in their population. Cats negatively impact wildlife and are one of the main threats to native species, in addition to causing ecological impacts. The aim of this study was to estimate the number of cats on Campus I of the Federal University of Paraíba, to map their occurrences, and to assess their potential impact on the wildlife found within the 44.39 hectares of native Atlantic Forest across 10 remnants. The feline population was estimated through distance sampling along 4.5 km of linear transects, repeated three times in 2022, and feeding points were georeferenced in 2023. To verify the co-occurrence of domestic cats and native fauna in the Atlantic Forest fragments, camera traps were installed, with a sampling effort of 322 trap-nights in the center and edges of the fragments. The feline population estimate was 422±25 individuals, with a detection probability of 0.31. The estimated densities across the entire Campus I (T) and excluding forested areas (SM) were 3.9 cats/ha (T) and 6.63 cats/ha (SM) respectively. Previous surveys estimated 397 cats in 2018 by direct census and 425±41 in 2019/2020 using the same methodology but with five replicates, suggesting a 5.9% population increase. The spatial distribution of cats was not homogeneous but clustered in the western half and near the main entrance. The cat density in this study is much higher compared to other studies, indicating that urgent measures are needed to control abandonment and the cat population. The camera traps recorded 156 individualized captures, with a capture success rate of 48.44%. The average number of captures per fragment was 15 (standard deviation = 14.77). Fragment IX, covering 2.93 ha, had the highest number of captures with 45, mostly Rattus rattus. Didelphis albiventris was the most recorded wild animal. Fragment II, with 8.7 ha, had the highest richness and number of wild animal captures, while the lowest richness and wild captures were in fragments VI and X, with 8.0 and 3.3 ha, respectively. Eleven vertebrate species were recorded in the Atlantic Forest fragments of UFPB, including three exotic/invasive mammal species: Felis catus, Canis lupus familiaris, and Rattus rattus; five native wild mammal species: Cerdocyon thous, Didelphis albiventris, Callithrix jacchus, Marmosa sp., and Monodelphis domestica; two native bird species: Troglodytes musculus and Turdus leucomelas; and one lizard species: Salvator merianae. The species accumulation curve did not reach an asymptote, suggesting that not all species present on Campus I were detected. The richness estimators Chao1, Jackknife1, Jackknife2, and Bootstrap ranged between 11 and 14 species. There were 20 cat recordings (12% of the total) within the fragments, with six at the edges and 15 in the center. Fragment I, with 4.0 ha, located near an area of high cat density in a built-up matrix, had the highest number of cat recordings (n=13). The co-occurrence of cats and wildlife within the forest remnants indicates a real risk of predation, competition, and pathogen transmission between animals. The high density of cats on Campus I of UFPB indicates an alarming situation within the One Health context, endangering the already reduced wildlife and exposing the university population to zoonotic risks. Given the observed increase in the feline population, the lack of action regarding abandonment suggests an increase in these already elevated risks.