THE OPOSSUM

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1929, Page 7

THE OPOSSUM

HARMLESS TO BIRD LIFE. DUNEDIN, October 8. As a result of a fairly general op* .on in certain quarters that tl opossum was to a large extent responsible for the destruction of native birds, the Otago Acclimatisation Society has lately collected information in respect to the agencies that are accomplishing the diminution of native oird life, winch nas been apparent for some years past. Not subscribing to the view that the opossum was the guilty party, the Society sought by means of circulars to trappers and landowners to secure the views of those who were more or less continuously in touch with the bush regions of tiie province.

The result of the enquiry has been a very definite impeachment directed by trappers and other observers against ferrets, stoats, weasels, rats, wild cats, and such predatory birds as hawks and grey owls, although these last are not charged so unanimously as the bush vermin. The opossum would appear to emerge from the investigation guiltless of the misdoings that have been so generally and frequently attributed to it/' Of 74 replies received 55 of the writers stated definitely that they considered that the opossum was not to blame. Forty-seven latter mentioned the stoat as an agent of destruction, twenty referred to the ferret, eighteen to the cat, fifteen to the grey owl, eight to the rat, and two to the hawk. A fact which consolidates the opinions thus expressed is that all of the writers trapped more or less of these animals and birds in localities from which rabbits, their staple food, were almost entirely eliminated. Thirtyeight trappers caught 218 stoats, an average of nearly 6 per man; seven others caught 118, an average of sixteen per man; 13 trappers caught 42 ferrets, an average of over three per man; 13 trappers caught 34 mild cats, an average of two and a-half ner man, and 18 others caught 18 rats, an average of over three per man. These figures, it should be remembered, cover a period of only one month since the opossum season this year lasted only that length of time.