Greater stick-nest rat

Leporillus conditor

Blamed on cats

IUCN status: Near Threatened

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: Moderate

IUCN claim: “The major threat for L. conditor is predation by feral cats and red foxes.”

Studies in support

Cats were among predators of reintroduced captive-bred stick-nest rats (Copley 1999). The rats were last confirmed in the Nullarbor (two records) 40-79 years after cats arrived (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Studies not in support

Stick-nest rats were last confirmed in the Murray-Darling, Flinders Ranges and the Western Division of NSW 24, 20 and 23 years before, to 17, 29 and 27 years after, cats arrived, respectively (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found linking cats to stick-nest rat population trends. In three regions it cannot be verified that extirpation occurred after cat arrival.

Evidence linking Leporillus conditor to cats. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Leporillus conditor and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Leporillus conditor, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Leporillus conditor to cats. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Leporillus conditor and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Leporillus conditor, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.

References

Abbott, The spread of the cat, Felis catus, in Australia: re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia 7 (2008).

Copley, P., 1999. Natural histories of Australia’s stick-nest rats, genus Leporillus (Rodentia: Muridae). Wildlife Research, 26(4), pp.513-539.

EPBC. (2015) Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of Environment, Government of Australia. (Table A1).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046