Research overview: prescribed fire and habitat management for felid prey

Managers use prescribed fire to shape vegetation, reduce fuel loads, and create habitat conditions that benefit wildlife, including the prey of cats. This overview surveys how planned burning maintains grassland and early-successional habitat that supports herbivore prey, reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfire, and is increasingly considered in a climate context. It reviews the trade-offs and the role of indigenous and traditional fire knowledge. The synthesis frames prescribed fire as an active management tool with relevance to felid conservation through its effects on the prey base and fuel loads, explaining how deliberate use of fire can be part of adapting landscapes to a more flammable climate while sustaining the productivity that predators ultimately depend on.