I dated a "Kiwi" from New Zealand a couple of years ago so found out
quite a bit about the ferret ban over there.
 
Over a hundred years ago farmers from the UK brought rabbits with them
to the islands of New Zealand.  Rabbits got out, bred like rabbits do,
and were pretty much taking over.  There's no predators in New Zealand -
none - zip.  Ferrets, stoats and weasels were brought over to hunt the
rabbits.  But then the ferrets decided that the eggs of the kiwi bird
(the flightless bird of New Zealand) were quite tasty.  So were young
kiwis.  As there's no one up the food chain from the ferrets to kill
the ferrets, the hunters have been.  I saw that same picture you're
referring to and it totally grossed me out.
 
Ferrets were then banned from New Zealand a few years ago.  They now
can't be brought into the country - period.  Anyone who currently owned
a ferret was allowed to continue owning them but anyone moving into the
country couldn't bring any in with them.  That was pretty much the main
reason for he and I breaking up as he was going to be living back in New
Zealand.  A rich, good looking Microsoft exec or my ferrets?  It was an
easy choice ;)
 
- Laura (now dating a Brit who loves ferrets and would never expect me
to give them up for nuthin!)
 
[P.S.]
oops and forgot to add
 
"Ferreting" aka hunting rabbits with the use of ferrets - is popular
in the UK - not New Zealand.  The ferret flushes the rabbits out their
warren and dogs - normally whippets of lurchers - chase down and catch
the rabbits.  There's a good article in the recent Ferrets Magazine
about this.
 
- Laura
[Posted in FML issue 5323]