Feral cats thrive in Australia's arid zone. Together with foxes, changed fire patterns and introduced herbivores, cats have contributed to the demise of small native animals. Efforts to recover endangered mammals, such as the mala and central rock rat, depend on feral cat control. Aboriginal women are helping to track feral cats in the Tanami Desert to help scientists better understand the behaviour of cats in the wild. Other work centres on predator-prey relationships and cat control techniques.