New Zealand has announced plans to eradicate feral cats by 2050, as part of efforts to protect the country’s biodiversity.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand on Thursday, conservation minister Tama Potaka said that feral cats are “stone cold killers” and would be added to the country’s Predator Free 2050 list, which aims to eradicate those animals that have a negative impact on species such as birds, bats, lizards and insects.

Cats had previously been excluded from the list, which includes species such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats and possums, but Potaka used the interview to announce a U-turn.

  • emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    Yes, but I think we need to distinguish between the native population, which has proven capable of co-existing with the local ecosystem, and the settlers, who’ll need to be culled.

    Maybe we can be a little animale and let the aborigines adopt the more tame settlers. Find them nice, loving homes, you know? The rest will unfortunately need to be euthanised.

    • Auli@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      So who’s native in New Zealand? How long have they been there. Or the fact that they are not white gives them special privileges.

    • gmtom@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Aborigines is Australia, the first people of NZ are the Maori and they’ve only been there since the 1300s