Hawaii bans feeding feral cats to protect native speciesAP, KAILUA-KONA, HawaiiThrongs of feral cats emerged from the shade of parked trucks and bushes as soon as the familiar Subaru Forester pulled into a dump on Hawaii’s Big Island. A Hawaii County law set to take effect at the start of the new year bans feeding feral animals on county property. It is an effort to protect native species, such as an endangered goose called the nene, from a super predator introduced to the islands by Europeans in the 18th century. “They’re both living creatures.”It is unclear how many feral cats — abandoned pets and their descendants — live on the Big Island. The cats threaten the native species directly — by killing them — and indirectly, biologists said.

Source: Taipei Times December 26, 2025 18:44 UTC