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Forest and Bird, Volume 16, Issue 3, 1 August 1985, Page 9

Peter Gaze,

Dr King has presented the Society with recommendations on how we should deal with stoats and the threat they pose to native birdlife. No one is better qualified to offer this advice. Dr King’s research in New Zealand has concentrated on the problems that concern us — the effect of stoats on their prey and the effectiveness of control measures on stoats. Few ecologists have been as conscientious in presenting their findings so promptly and clearly to those most concerned. Her conclusions presented in this article may come as something of a shock. A blow to one’s prejudice is always painful. Are we really to sit back and allow this alien predator continued freedom to kill our birdlife? Yet the facts appear that stoats on mainland New Zealand are, with few exceptions, no longer a threat to our birdlife and in turn our efforts to trap these animals are similarly ineffective. In brief, any damage stoats are capable of inflicting on bird populations will have already occurred. We have been well advised that our efforts to conserve birdlife should not be diverted from that of ensuring protection of their habitat. Any member interested in pursuing these theories and their ecological background will enjoy Dr King’s recent book, Immigrant Killers.

Society member and

ecologist.