Barry Green (born 1951 or 1952)[1] also known by his nickname "Cat Man", is an Australian varmint hunter known for culling feral cats on Kangaroo Island. He describes himself as a conservationist of native Australian wildlife, which is threatened by feral cat populations.[1]
Barry Green | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951 or 1952 (age 72–73) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1996—present |
Cat hunting career
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Feral cats in Australia are estimated to each kill between five and thirty animals every day, and in 2016 the government of Australia identified Kangaroo Island as a target island for the eradication of feral cats.[1] Barry Green moved to Kangaroo Island in 1996, and he was introduced to cat-trapping by two women of the island.[2] As of 2019, Green has killed over 1,450 cats.[1] The largest cat that he has killed was 7.2 kilograms (16 lb), and he has only encountered one pet cat, which he gave to a local council rather than killing it.[2][3] To pay for petrol and bait, Green sells tanned cat hides and art made from them.[3] His home, which has hundreds of cat hides in it, has become a local tourist attraction.[4] He provides data about his hunting to the South Australia Department for Environment and Water and helps scientists at the University of Sydney study feral cats.[2]
Green has received hundreds of pieces of hate mail, as well as multiple death threats because of his killing of cats.[4][5] Despite this, he is considered a local hero by residents of Kangaroo Island.[1] Green has stated that he does not hate all cats, only the feral ones.[2][6] For his work in wildlife conservation, Barry Green received the Outstanding Individual Award from the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board, part of the government of South Australia, in 2018.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Meet Australia's feral cat killers". The West Australian. 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ a b c d Hudson, Sarah (2017-05-17). "Kangaroo Island's cat man Barry Green". weeklytimesnow.com.au.
- ^ a b Gibson, Michael (2017-06-06). "Barry the Cat Man - 1300 Kills and Climbing". Sporting Shooter. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ a b Barrett, Peter (2016-02-16). "Kangaroo island's Barry Green wages war on feral cat threat to native birdlife". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ Shooting Cats: Australia's War on Feral Cats. Vice News. 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2024-08-26 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Endangered species 'looking at extinction' on Kangaroo Island as feral cats roam". ABC News. 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ "Feral fighter, soil saver recognised in environmental awards". landscape.sa.gov.au. 2018-01-31.
- ^ Feral cats threatening endangered species on Kangaroo Island after bushfires. ABC News. 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2024-08-27 – via YouTube.