Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41907829›Full record

ArticleBioscience2026

Investigating the Causes of an Extinction Catastrophe: Controlling Introduced Predators Remains Essential for Conserving Australia's Mammals.

John C Z Woinarski, Sarah M Legge, Katherine Moseby, Andrew A Burbidge, Alexandra J R Carthey, Chris R Dickman, Tim S Doherty, Jason Ferris, Diana O Fisher, Matthijs Hollanders and 16 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Bioscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

26 authors.

John C Z WoinarskiResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1712-9500
Sarah M LeggeResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6968-2781
Katherine MosebyCentre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, 2033, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0691-1625
Andrew A BurbidgeFloreat, Western Australia 6104, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3369-7548
Alexandra J R CartheySchool of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0472-2217
Chris R DickmanSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1067-3730
Tim S DohertyBiodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park, Perth, WA 6005, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7745-0251
Jason FerrisDepartment of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Canberra ACT, 2600, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4584-0779
Diana O FisherSchool of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4017-3710
Matthijs HollandersCollege of Engineering, Science and Environment, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0796-1018
Bronwyn A HradskyQuantitative and Applied Ecology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0141-020X
Chris N JohnsonSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, PO Box 805 Sandy Bay 7006, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9719-3771
Chris J JollySchool of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5234-0897
John KanowskiAustralian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco, WA 6008, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7025-4456
Mike LetnicEvolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4191-8427
Rachel T MasonSchool of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3800.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2692-9902
Hugh McGregorNature Foundation, Prospect, South Australia, 5082, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3255-9282
Brett P MurphyResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8230-3069
Reece PedlerCentre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, 2033, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4170-2274
John L ReadUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, SA, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0605-5259
Anthony R RendallSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7286-9288
Alyson Stobo-WilsonAustralian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco, WA 6008, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3880-2442
Jonathan WebbSchool of Life Sciences, The University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4822-6829
Bruce L WebberBush Heritage Australia, Melbourne, Victoria 3008, Australia; and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5934-6557
Rebecca WestSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8577-3317
Euan G RitchieSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4410-8868

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

At least 40 Australian mammal spcies have been driven to extinction since European colonization in 1788. For conservation management to be effective, it is vital that the reasons for historical extinctions and ongoing declines are understood and remedied. A recent article (Wallach and Lundgren 2025) concluded that there was no compelling evidence that two introduced predators (domestic cats and red foxes) were primary causes of these mammal losses. We refute that article, finding substantial flaws in its premises, analyses, data, interpretations, and conclusions. Using multiple lines of evidence, we show that these two predators are strongly implicated in most Australian mammal extinctions and in the ongoing imperilment of numerous extant species. The devastating impact of cats and foxes on Australia's mammals has been widely recognized by conservation managers who have, in response, implemented national programs to control these predators, producing widely recognized benefits for one of the world's most remarkable native mammal faunas.

Indexed as

biodiversity conservationenvironmental policyextinctioninvasive specieswildlife management

Identifiers

PMID41907829
PMCPMC13032872

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.