71 Million Reasons to send them back to Australia
Normally I would post about ...pass there. Weaver of Grass posed a question about what critter that is on the title banner. Answer: A cartoon version of my least favourite marsupial species The Australian Brush Tailed Possum. Why would I put on something like that you ask. The reason behind the name of our farm is because of this destructive pest. We have several acres of mature New Zealand Native Bush and it's full of possums. I have bush and the possums wrecking it make me mad so that's where the name Mad Bush Farm came from. The human inhabitants here have all been declared completely and utterly sane. Imagine 71 million noctural marsupials spending every night stripping your trees bare and destroying your native wildlife. We have a very serious problem here in New Zealand. These creatures carry Bovine TB. The New Zealand Government has carried out very strict measures to control this disease. All cattle and deer must wear special tags from the age of one month old and farms registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. If any cattle or deer are relocated or sold at sales an Animal Status Declaration Form must be filled out the by the owner and provided. Animals are tested every three years for Bovine TB reactors and if any show signs of the disease the entire herd is put on restricted movement control - bad news if you have a dairy farm. In the last three years I have destroyed over four hundred possums. Makes for a lot of holes being dug - my trees are doing nicely from the remains of our unwanted marsupial friends. They aren't cute and they aren't friendly. They are just nasty destructive pests I wonder if the Australians would like their native animals returned to them - all 71 million of them. Anyone got any ideas? The photo above is one I took at the Northland Lifestyle Field Days. The yellow plastic thing is a specialised trap used just for our destructive furry friends. I have several around the farm here - which I had better go and check...mutter.
well I think they are cute...but then so is the horny toad to me....BUT I know what you mean about non-native species....its a shame that indigenous animals and plants are destroed by those not even from where they live! I feel your pain! Shoot em all if you can bear to do it! LOL I'll just live trap them too and give them to you to shoot like I do my mouse given to Sam to catch and kill! LOL read your other comment to the other posting and you'llknow what I'm talking about
ReplyDeleteYes I'm a softy on frogs but not on possums. The traps I have kill them instantly and I don't regret it. Mice get the same treatment and rats. Pests but I'm used to being hard there. Frogs..I like.
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