Today in our environmental science lecture, we're discussing the impact of urban development on local wildlife. A recent study in Melbourne focused on the effect of new housing estates on the population of native birds. Surprisingly, the researchers found that while some species, like the noisy miner, increased in number, others, such as the superb fairy-wren, declined sharply. The key factor was not the loss of trees, but the increase in domestic cats. The study suggested that creating green corridors and encouraging pet owners to keep cats indoors at night could help mitigate the problem. However, the most effective measure, according to the lead author, was the installation of cat fences in residential areas.