2017 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 241-247
Predation by feral cats (Felis catus) is a serious problem for native insular species in the world, including Japan. In this article, we present a case study of feral cat predation on a weaning juvenile of the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) on Amami-Oshima Island. The Amami rabbit is an endemic species in Amami-Oshima and Tokunosima Islands of Japan. From January to March 2017, we surveyed the maternal behavior of the rabbits with a camera trap. The juvenile was born on the night between January 14 and 15, and it was hunted by a feral cat at 1:00 on February 19 (35 days old). In the night before hunting, the mother did not seal the entrance of the nursing burrow with soil for the first time. Because the juvenile disappeared from videos after hunting, it might have been eaten by a feral cat, or died from injuries sustained while being hunted. The feral cat revisited the nursing burrow for 30 minutes, the following day, and 4 days after hunting. The mother also revisited for the following day after hunting. Predation pressure on young rabbits might affect their population dynamics. To protect the population of Amami rabbit on Amami-Ohshima Island, feral cats need to be removed from the forest as soon as possible.
