Silver Eye

[Perendale]

This is from a photo taken in our garden. They are common. They arrived from southeast Oz in the late 1800s. Blown across in a storm and have thrived.

Brett

102922

[Enug]

It's a beautiful Brett - I'm glad you are pleased about some of our migrants to NZ - not so much the possoms eh?

[Perendale]

No, we could do without the possums - and the rats and rabbits and weasels and stoats etc!

Interestingly as we try to wipe out the intruders by 2050, the possums are turning out to be the easiest to control because of their slow reproduction rate. The worst? Rats and feral cats. They are so clever :)

I am quite unsure about restoring an ecology we wrecked by our ignorance and stupidity by the wholesale slaughter of several other species. But we are trapped and eradication seems the only solution. I think the chances of success are small, but well see!

[Enug]

We don't have stoats and weasels but rats and cats yes. Plus foxes, camels, goats, brumbies and numerous bird species, sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, crows, etc. All brought over by homesick colonists for a little bit of 'home'. If only they knew.....

Not to overlook the revolting cane toad which was imported from Hawaii as recent as 85 years ago to control a sugarcane beetle. "Some scientists estimate that there are more than 200 million cane toads hopping around our continent, wreaking havoc on our ecosystem and expanding across northern Australia at a rate of 50 km every year".

[markw]

Nice little painting Brett:cool: just goes to show that actually we only need stick our heads out the window and we can find something wonderful to paint!

I understand your qualms about NZ’s eradication plan.:rolleyes:
But… the species to be removed are in and of themselves not in any way endangered as a whole, so their removal from NZ will not affect the survival of their different species. It’s just terribly sad that on the individual level so many will die.
It is a moral dilemma of our own making!:(
Colombia has had a similar decision to make also, to keep now wild hippos or kill them?
It always amazes me how our species, on it’s own, has consistently managed to screwup so much of this amazing and precious planet!

And thank you June:) I’ve learnt a new word today “brumbies” or “brumby”, singular!:cool:
Though I doubt I will find many opportunities to use it in general conversation!

[Perendale]

Yes, a dilemma it certainly is! But we have to choose between eradicating the big three (possums, rats and stoats) or having empty forests. I think it seems a particularly difficult choice for the Māori with their much more integrated worldview: one which I share.

RadioNZ has produced a 4-part video about pf2050 if you’re interested. Each part is around 20 minutes as I remember:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/fight-for-the-wild

Brett

[markw]

Ooh, thanks for the link Brett:cool:
Now to find some time to watch them:rolleyes: But watch them I will!!!