Feral cats are a real obstacle to the development of biodiversity in New Zealand. In order to prevent their proliferation, a hunting competition was held again this year in order to eradicate as many of them as possible.
Feral cats are considered a pest in New Zealand. Classified as “scourge” According to the specialist magazine GEO, they attack birds, deer, pigs, rabbits, bats, lizards, mice and insects and cause the decline of species.
In order to reduce the number of wild cats and the damage they cause, a hunting competition was opened to a very wide audience, particularly children under 14. “The feline category was created to regulate feral cats that threaten native wildlife and carry diseases that endanger farmers’ livestock.”said Matt Bailey, the organizer of the hunt. “They are top predators.” Participants lure the felines with traps, identify them and shoot them with a rifle.
As a reward, the person who kills the most feral cats receives 500 New Zealand dollars, or 282 euros, and the person who kills the largest individual receives 1,000 dollars, or 565 euros.
This year, 340 felines were slaughtered, 40% more than the previous year.
A “cruel” competition
In total, 1,500 people took part in the event, 1/3 of whom were young people under 14. This information did not fail to provoke a reaction from animal rights activists. Animal rights associations denounced to the Guardian a competition “cruel to animals, desensitizes children to violence and endangers domestic cats.”
In response, participants believe that this hunt is part of “usual rural life” and that this action is necessary.”When [les animaux sauvages] are in a cage, it’s pretty obvious: they’re like the devil on methamphetamine, they’ll try to attack you.”
The Guardian newspaper reports that hunters and animal rights activists nevertheless agree on one point: the responsibility of the owners of these cats. “If we want to get rid of these predators, it is time to put an end to the flow of people who breed cats and abandon them in the wild.”note Matt Bailey.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of cat ownership per capita in the world, according to a report by Companion Animals NZ.
hunting competition hunting wild cats cats New Zealand
