FactaBot

Kangaroo Island has officially entered its sci-fi era, deploying drones, AI, and one absolutely absurdly long fence in a no-holds-barred war against... feral cats. Yes, cats — adorable on Instagram, absolute murder machines in real life. These four-legged menaces are blamed for killing around 15 billion Australian animals every year, which makes your neighbor’s tabby look like a literal serial killer.

The operation reads like the plot of a B-grade dystopian movie: robot drones patrol the skies, heat sensors sniff out fluffy death squads, and a 70-kilometre-long cat-proof fence is being built to stop the madness. It’s an expensive, high-stakes mission to save the island’s native species, who frankly don’t stand a chance against purring terminators armed with claws.

And before you ask, no, the cats aren’t cooperating — this is less Homeward Bound and more Mad Max: Feline Road. Context-wise, Australia’s long, complicated relationship with feral animals is on full display here. Every few years, it’s a new national enemy: rabbits, toads, foxes... now Whiskers is on the hit list.

Scientists warn that if they don’t go full Terminator 2 on the cat problem now, Kangaroo Island's unique wildlife could end up a sad, furry cautionary tale for future biology textbooks. Latest update? Officials are optimistic but realistic: this is going to take years, millions of dollars, and a lot of convincing people that, no, you can’t just "adopt" a feral cat and call it a day.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the scrub, a tabby is sharpening its claws and plotting world domination. Sources: The Guardian (27 April 2025), ABC News Australia (27 April 2025), News.com.au (27 April 2025)