FERALS

16-05-2007

I've always heard that introduced cats and foxes were largely responsible for the demise of so many of the small and middlesized marsupial natives. So if you now have ferrets on the loose too, they should be able to get into many of those places(smaller burrows etc) where foxes and cats can't reach and cause even further damage. So this sounds pretty much a disaster unless they can quickly be eradicated?

17-05-2007

they are and have long-been legally kept as pets here (at least they are in victoria) though never have been common. whats worse is they are used primarily in the country to chase rabbits out of their warrens. many just stay down there and fall asleep after dining on rabbit kittens - making for a pretty high chance of being left in the bush..

but for that reason i have always been supprised they are not as established here as ferrets, weasels and stoats have become in NZ...

17-05-2007

It is strange how ferrets have become established in NZ and not in Australia. They have probobly been used in rabbit hunting here for over 100 years and hearing about them surviving in the wild is unusual.

On cats and foxes, I find much more of a chalenge to shoot a cat than a fox as cats will not move and remain hidden if they think they have not been spotted. If they think you have spotted them they usually bolt and quickly find a better hiding spot.

Are there foxes in NZ, if not mabey that is the reason ferets survive there.

Ferals in NZ
18-05-2007

No there are no foxes in NZ , not even in zoos . I have never seen a fox before ( anywhere )
The biggest pest problem ( by FAR ) is possums -- the Australian variety , not the American ones .
NZ has a temperate climate , with a fair bit of rainfall throughout the year
I wonder if this is a reason why ferrets , weasels , stoats do better here than Australia ?

18-05-2007

at night my local park is FULL of ferals!

they play bongos and twirl firesticks. then in the afternoons (after they wake up) they are usually found down at centrelink....

18-05-2007

Possums are a problem in Australia too ... we just aren't allowed to kill them

Although it is mostly just sleep deprived humans who suffer at the paws of the dreaded possum

We have one who lives next door, but goes out to play each night (sometime between 1am and 3am) gleefully bounding across our neighbour's tin carport roof before jumping into the tree just outside our bedroom window and running down through the branches and along the side of our house.

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18-05-2007

The big difference is, that they aren't feral here

18-05-2007

You are lucky not to have foxes in NZ. I wonder why the idiots who introduced them to Australia did not introduce them there. If they were introduced Kiwis and Kakapo would likly be extinct. NZ has some very interesting introduced species. Tahr and Chamois have done very well. I have herd there are several species of Walabies including at least one which is either extinct or close to it in Australia.

18-05-2007

That's probably Parma Wallaby, which was introduced a long time ago to some island off NZ, and later became extinct(or close to) in Australia. Some Uk zoos have them too, but they all, or nearly all derive from the New Zealand stock which was 'rediscovered' some years ago.

18-05-2007

If these ferals are a problem, just leave some soap and shampoo down the park. They don't like it and will do anything to avoid it.

19-05-2007

leave the ferals alone! the hairy arm pits/forests of the hippy women are probably enough to carbon neautralise Melbourne for a year.

26-05-2008

I had to destroy a feral rusa deer at work on the weekend. This is a regular thing where i work. A deer is injured by a car at least two times a month. Ferals are taking over!!

26-05-2008

Why don't we invest all the money being put towards the kangaroo cull into killing feral animals. My first picks would be cats and feral dogs.

27-05-2008

Do you get to use your glock to shoot injured deer while at work. Is it true that there is a lot of paperwork every time you fire a shot.

Did you get a feed of venison. My wife actually hit a deer last week and broke both its back legs. I went straight there and shot at thinking most of the meat would be brused. I was amazed to find no brusing at all. Just finished a very nice venison stew.

Pity they dont open the forests in that area to R lisence holders, that should get their numbers down at not cost to the taxpayer. The curent government control program costs about $500 per deer.

28-05-2008

yes. used my glock. the paper work is nothing just a quick entry on the police computer system. it would have taken me about five minutes to do.
didn't get a feed of venison.