<http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/alarm-high-numbers-kiwi-killed-dogs/5/6757>

For these bird problems they outlaw pet ferrets but don't restrict dogs
to not being present (even on leash) in these areas? Hopefully, I am
missing something by not being there and as a result not familiar with
nuances.

>Research showing dogs are responsible for alarming numbers of kiwi
>deaths in holiday hot spots are prompting calls to their owners to
>follow a few simple rules this Christmas.
>
>Up to 78 percent of adult kiwi deaths in Northland are caused by
>dogs...
>
>In the last three weeks, seven monitored adult kiwi in Purua,
>Northland have been killed; about 20 percent of the region's monitored
>population. It is likely that a single wandering dog has been
>responsible. Only about ten percent of the kiwi population in Purerua
>wear transmitters so many more undetected deaths are expected.
> ...
>'Keeping a dog on a lead is not enough to stop a dog killing kiwi.
>Many kiwi deaths have been caused by owners taking their dogs for a
>walk in the bush
> ...
>Department of Conservation (DOC) kiwi recovery group leader, Avi
>Holzapfel says kiwi deaths from weasels, stoats and ferrets have been
>successfully reduced in many areas - through the efforts of community
>groups, land owners and DOC - but dogs remain a threat.
> ...
>'Kiwi are most vulnerable to mustelids (weasels, stoats and ferrets)
>when they are chicks. We have a number of mustelid predator control
>programmes in place, so we have made great progress in keeping young
>kiwi alive in the wild. Unfortunately though, many kiwi that survive
>as chicks, are being killed by dogs. We still have a lot of work to do.

Wouldn't it make more sense to require neutering of pet ferrets,
inspections and special caging for ferrets farms (and the polecat
owning fur farms), and to have very pricy permits with possible
inspections on short order so that ferrets are worth enough that
people would not dump them ever, and meanwhile ban any dogs in certain
locations while continuing the trapping for wild mustelids and rats?

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6184]