A hunter was awarded $608 for killing the largest feral cat, weighing 6.7 kg, and the organizers of the feral cat competition announced plans to expand the event next year.
Feral cats are a pest in New Zealand. (Photo: Minden Pictures).
The latest feral cat elimination competition was held last weekend in the rural area of North Canterbury, where hunters killed 370 feral cats along with wild pigs, possums, rats, and deer. This year’s competition attracted 1,500 hunters, including 460 children accompanied by adults. According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, feral cats specialize in hunting endangered birds, bats, and lizards, contributing to the extinction of some species, AFP reported.
A hunter received a cash prize of $608 for killing the largest feral cat, which weighed 6.7 kg. An additional $304 was awarded to the contestant who killed the most feral cats, totaling 65. “We will continue what we have done and increase the prize money next year to make the competition bigger and better,” organizer Matt Bailey shared. According to Bailey, the competition is essential for eradicating feral cats that prey on native wildlife and spread diseases to livestock. He described feral cats as a menace. “It’s wonderful to hear the songs of native birds, but their numbers are declining due to feral cats eliminating all the wildlife around here,” Bailey stated.
The feral cat hunting competition is restricted to areas at least 10 km away from residential zones. Many conservation organizations want to include feral cats in New Zealand’s pest eradication plan by 2050, alongside stoats, rats, possums, and ferrets. However, this is a sensitive issue in New Zealand, where nearly half of all households have pet cats.
