New Zealand Birds

DSC_6667 Western weka (Gallirallus australis australis) male killed by ferret. Ferrets were brought to NZ to control rabbits - before stoats and weasels were tried. The semi-domesticated ferrets were easier to obtain and breed, but they were vulnerable to canine distemper and to cold, wet high country weather, and so stoats and weasels were imported instead. Male ferrets are twice the weight of females, and prefer rabbits as prey, whereas females prefer rats. However in NZ flightless ground birds including kiwi, weka and penguins have become new targets for these introduced predators *

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DSC_6667 Western weka (Gallirallus australis australis) male killed by ferret. Ferrets were brought to NZ to control rabbits - before stoats and weasels were tried. The semi-domesticated ferrets were easier to obtain and breed, but they were vulnerable to canine distemper and to cold, wet high country weather, and so stoats and weasels were imported instead. Male ferrets are twice the weight of females, and prefer rabbits as prey, whereas females prefer rats. However in NZ flightless ground birds including kiwi, weka and penguins have become new targets for these introduced predators *

DSC 6667 Feral ferret Mustela putorius furo pest predator predated prey kill dead weka