New Zealand has announced plans to eradicate feral cats by 2050, as part of efforts to protect the country’s biodiversity.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand on Thursday, conservation minister Tama Potaka said that feral cats are “stone cold killers” and would be added to the country’s Predator Free 2050 list, which aims to eradicate those animals that have a negative impact on species such as birds, bats, lizards and insects.

Cats had previously been excluded from the list, which includes species such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats and possums, but Potaka used the interview to announce a U-turn.

    • Mk23simp@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      I am a big fan of cats. However, if they live outside, they are feral. And they should not be allowed to keep living outside.

      My preferred solution would be for people to take them in and feed them, but you definitely should not be feeding them while they are still living outside. Outdoor cats cause a lot of destruction to the ecosystem by overhunting small animals such as songbirds, even to the point of extinction.

    • einkorn@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      Then they start hunting for sports.

      Cats are an invasive species in NZ, which has a lot more small critters living on the ground because there are no native predators to them.

    • Jhex@lemmy.worldEnglish
      01·
      3 months ago

      yes but leave it to politicians to do everything in the worst possible way

        • nocturne@slrpnk.netEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          If the cat is a strictly indoor cat and is bringing you dead mice and birds, you may have a problem with mice and birds in your house.

        • Jhex@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          3 months ago

          I keep mine indoors… and our city sterilizes feral cats and lets them go again if they cannot be adopted timely

          A much humane approach that limits the harm a cat could do in the wild

          • dubyakay@lemmy.caEnglish
            0·
            3 months ago

            That’s not harm reduction. Letting then go is ecocide. And it isn’t even humane. Feral cats are feral, they can’t be adopted. Better to humanely put them down.

            • Jhex@lemmy.worldEnglish
              01·
              3 months ago

              they are not even been added to the kill list for 25 more years… it’s either not that urgent or this is just virtue signaling from politicians

              ps: x for doubt on any “humanely” thing proposed by politicians