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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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
It attracted 1,500 hunters, together with 460 kids who needed to be accompanied by adults.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
One other NZ$500 went to the contestant with the very best variety of kills – 65 feral cats.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
The occasion grabbed worldwide headlines final 12 months when a public backlash compelled it to scrap an occasion devoted to kids below 14.<\/p>\n
However Bailey mentioned the hunt was wanted to cull wild felines, which prey on native wildlife and carry ailments threatening livestock.<\/p>\n
Feral cats are like “the satan on methamphetamine”, he mentioned.<\/p>\n
“They’re loopy when caged. They’ll sure round making an attempt to have a go at you,” he added.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
The cat hunt was restricted to areas no less than 10km away from residential areas.<\/p>\n
Conservation teams need feral cats to be added to New Zealand’s plans to eradicate pests like stoats, rats, possums and ferrets, by 2050.<\/p>\n
However the difficulty is delicate in New Zealand, the place near half of all households have a pet cat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n