WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s annual cat-killing contest plans to increase subsequent 12 months, the occasion’s organiser mentioned on Wednesday (Jul 3), describing feral felines as a grave risk to native wildlife.
Feral cats prey on endangered birds, bats and lizards, in response to New Zealand’s division of conservation, and they’re blamed for driving some species into extinction.
The most recent version of the competitors was held on the weekend in rural North Canterbury, with hunters killing 370 feral cats alongside wild pigs, possums, rats and deer.
It attracted 1,500 hunters, together with 460 kids who needed to be accompanied by adults.
This 12 months, one hunter received a money prize of NZ$1,000 (US$608) for killing the most important feral cat, which weighed 6.7kg.
One other NZ$500 went to the contestant with the very best variety of kills – 65 feral cats.
“We’ll simply stick with it with what we’re doing and enhance the prize cash subsequent 12 months to make it larger and higher,” hunt organiser Matt Bailey informed AFP.
The occasion grabbed worldwide headlines final 12 months when a public backlash compelled it to scrap an occasion devoted to kids below 14.
However Bailey mentioned the hunt was wanted to cull wild felines, which prey on native wildlife and carry ailments threatening livestock.
Feral cats are like “the satan on methamphetamine”, he mentioned.
“They’re loopy when caged. They’ll sure round making an attempt to have a go at you,” he added.
“It might be superior to listen to the music of our native birds, however their numbers are dropping as a result of the feral cats are annihilating every part round right here.”
The cat hunt was restricted to areas no less than 10km away from residential areas.
Conservation teams need feral cats to be added to New Zealand’s plans to eradicate pests like stoats, rats, possums and ferrets, by 2050.
However the difficulty is delicate in New Zealand, the place near half of all households have a pet cat.