[Global Times Comprehensive Report] On the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, millions of wild cats are causing increasingly serious ecological and social challenges. According to the Associated Press reported on the 14th, official statistics show that the number of wild cats on this small island has exceeded "one per capita."

According to reports, archaeologists have found evidence of the joint burial of humans and cats in local Neolithic sites, dating the coexistence of humans and cats back to 9500 years. Tourism is the backbone of the country's economy, and the large number of wild cats on the island is also a major feature that attracts tourists. But in late September, the Environment Committee of the Cyprus Parliament stated that the current wildcat sterilization program was too small to control the growing number of wildcats. Environmental Commissioner Theosiu admitted that under the existing policy, about 2000 feral cat sterilization operations are implemented every year, and the annual budget of 100,000 euros is obviously insufficient.

On October 4th, World Animal Day, the Cypriot Minister of Environment, Panayotou, announced that the annual funding for the wild cat sterilization program will be raised to 300,000 euros. However, officials from the Parliamentary Environment Committee of the country stressed that funding is not the all-power key, "there must be a systematic program that can not blindly advance the sterilization work." Experts warned that the predatory nature of the cat population could exacerbate the destruction of the island ecosystem.

Cyprus Environment Commissioner Theodosius is setting up a team to work together to accurately statisticate the number of wild cats and promote mass sterilization. President of the Cyprus Veterinary Association, Epaminodas, noted that the surge in the number of wild cats is due to the uncontrolled population of wild cats in cities and the rising survival rate of young cats under public care. Without professional organizations involved in cat sterilization, it is still difficult. For the solution, Epaminodas said that if the authorities developed a unified sterilization program with private clinics at the heart and provided free sterilization and simplified processes, the number of wild cats could be effectively controlled within 4 years.