Cat genocide. New Zealand to exterminate 2.5 million feral homeless cats 0 11

These animals were once domestic, but having found themselves in the forests, they adapted to the wild environment and turned into dangerous predators.

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka called feral cats "cold-blooded killers." According to him, they pose as serious a threat to biodiversity as ferrets, stoats, rats, possums, and weasels—all of which are included in the "Predator-Free by 2050" strategy.

"To preserve biodiversity, the historical landscape, and create the nature we want to see, we need to eliminate the factors that destroy it," noted Potaka.

Feral cats can reach 1 meter in length and weigh up to 7 kilograms. They actively hunt endemic birds, including the New Zealand dotterel, whose population is rapidly declining. While the number of birds is falling, the population of feral cats continues to grow.

Attempts to combat this threat were made as early as 2013, but authorities faced criticism from animal rights organizations. New Zealand is one of the countries with the highest number of pet cats per capita. Moreover, there are no mandatory rules for sterilization and restricting the free roaming of pets. As a result, pets often leave home, hunt, and quickly reproduce, forming new populations of feral individuals.

Animal rights activists demand stricter regulations on cat ownership and a ban on any lethal control methods. The Ministry of Conservation admits that the campaign should have started earlier—before the problem became so large-scale.

Last summer, a competition was held in New Zealand for hunting feral cats. A hunter was promised 500 New Zealand dollars for the most cats killed, and 1,000 New Zealand dollars for the largest trophy. More than 1,500 people participated in the hunt, of which 440 were under 18 years old. Animal rights activists condemned the event organizers, accusing them of cruelty to animals and fostering violence among children. They also expressed concerns that domestic cats could be harmed during the hunt. However, the organizers claimed that there could be no mistakes.