Yes ,Lisette, there are indeed ferrets in the wild in New Zealand.  They
were introduced in the 1880's by the colonists in order to try and control
the plague of (also introduced) rabbits.  Of course, it did not work.  So
someone then had the idea of hybridising ferrets and polecats, and
releasing them in New Zealand!
 
Now, New Zealand flora and fauna evolved in an isolated state until the
advent of mankind a thousand or so years ago.  The Maori were the first
to arrive; the little polynesian rat they brought with them - the kiore -
is a recognsed pest - and the Maori people themselve, through hunting,
quickly ensured the extinction of the enormous Moa.  Later arrivals of
europeans brought other animals and birds, accidentally or on purpose.
Only the unique environment of New Zealand enables ferrets to survive and
thrive in a feral state.
 
The unique environment is why they - and feral cats, dogs,goats, pigs,
horses and wild rats, rabbits hedgehogs, weasels, stoats and birds -indeed
all introduced animals - is such a threat.  There are no native mammals
here except bats, and no native predators except a now-extinct eagle, and
a hawk.  New Zealand flora and fauna evolved over millenia with NO
predators and NONE of the threats which flora and fauna elsewhere in the
world have had to adapt to in order to survive.  The native flora and
fauna has little if any survival mechanism against predation of any form -
be it human or animal.  Hence the depradation of our native forests by the
Australian Brush-tailed Possum (protected in its homeland); the common
frog here is an introduced Australian one which is endangered in its own
home.
 
No ferret lover in New Zealand denies that the feral ferret is a pest.
It is generally accepted that the feral cat causes enormous damage to the
native fauna.  There is still argumant raging about the damage caused by
the domestic cat, yet we are the only ones being singled out not cat
owners.  Rats and stoats range uncontrolled in many areas where rare
ground-nesting birds attempt to breed.  Dogs are allowed to roam loose in
forests.  Islands in the Hauraki Gulf which are of conservation status and
where rare birds and reptiles are found have residents on them - members
of the government, even - who keep free-ranging domestic cats.
 
In all of this, where is the logic for banning pet ferrets?  Banning a pet
ferret will not do one thing to reduce the numbers of feral ferrets.  It
will not do one thing to reduce the numbers of ground-nesting birds killed
by cats, rats and mustelids.  All it will do is reduce individual freedoms
in what is supposed to be a democratic country and take the focus away
from means of really protecting native wildlife.  I am sure, for instance,
than in areas where feral ferrets are a pest, members of the ferret
community worldwide would have some good ideas of means of reducing the
numbers - purely because of the knowledge held about the behaviour and
breeding habits of the ferret.
 
Beleaguered New Zealand ferret keeper.
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[Posted in FML issue 3741]