Here's something I pulled off of Usenet.  I felt it would be better
to bring it over here to discuss it, than continue a discussion
(verging on being a flame war) over there.

In article <[log in to unmask]> you write:
>The domestic ferret was released here in New Zealand and in the
>absence of competition or predators, has established itself very firmly.
>IT is now a serious pest of ground-nesting and flightless birds.
>--------
>Arnold Chamove
>Massey University Psychology
>Palmerston North, New Zealand

Is this true????  Does Mustela putorius furo really have a feral colony
in New Zealand???  This is going to have a serious impact on many of
my "ferrets are COMPLETELY domesticated" arguments if it is true.

[It may well be, but even in New Zealand, the predation of a small
population of ferrets would be insignificant compared to the predation
of cats or rats.  I have seen or read several accounts of introduced
animals causing problems in Australia and New Zealand, but somehow
they never manage to mention ferrets - they mention cats and rats.
And occasionally mongeese (it is *possible* that Chamove is mistaken
and they're mongeese).  Besides, the cats would prey on the ferrets
too.  Then you have to put into perspective the enormous impact
that even non-feral cats have on wildlife everywhere.  So why are
cats acceptable?  It takes a great deal of self-control to stop myself
shooting the 3 cats that wander thru our property - we have 10 acres
of forest, and the cats are killing off the squirrels, chipmunks
and rabbits.]

- Nancy


--
Nancy Hartman                                   CIS graduate student
[log in to unmask]                                U. of Delaware
        President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club
                      Owner of Percy & Bree

[Posted in FML 0196]