By Tony Orman
… the possum’s status as anti-animal is a function of its existence at the crossroads of postcolonial and environmental ideologies. Commonly presented as an invasive and destructive entity, whose existence leads to the destruction of native wildlife, I argue that the possum works to distract from the environmental destruction directly wrought by pākehā colonists in Aotearoa-New Zealand. –Nicholas Holm
The despised animal
An article by Nicholas Holm on Academia.edu, a Californian based “platform to share, find, and explore 50 Million research papers” has highlighted the futility and illogic of general hatred of possum in New Zealand.
“Publicly decried, officially poisoned, frequently shot at and intentionally steered towards, the possum is a despised animal. Indeed, as prior writers on the subject have noted, in order to be a New Zealander, it is almost compulsory to hate the possum,” he said.
In his discourse, Nicholas Holm says those who are most committed to animal preservation and protection are those who hate possums the most.
“Hence, whereas environmental discourse normally foregrounds the protection of animals and natural environments generally, anti-animals represent the inversion of that logic whereby certain animals must be destroyed in order to conserve nature. The concept of the anti-animal is developed with reference to political theorist Carl Schmitt’s notion of the enemy/foe distinction, where the foe is an enemy who must not be simply defeated, but actively and personally hated and then eventually destroyed.”
Possums not the problem
In the second part of his article, Nicholas Holm argues that the possum’s status as anti-animal is a function of its existence at the crossroads of postcolonial and environmental ideologies.
“Commonly presented as an invasive and destructive entity, whose existence leads to the destruction of native wildlife, I argue that the possum works to distract from the environmental destruction directly wrought by pākehā colonists in New Zealand,” he said.
Subscribers to the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations website where the overseas reaction was posted, attracted comments from New Zealand conservationists.
Possums are not predators
Laurie Collins, convenor of the Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust and with decades of work and recreational experience in the outdoors which included “pest control”, slammed the concept of the Department of Conservation and Predator Free NZ that possums are predators.
“I personally have autopsied hundreds of possums, specifically to find out what they have been feeding on. Never once have I found anything to suggest they eat anything other than vegetation,” he said.
Misleading the public over 1080 and possums
As a forest trainee he was involved in the first 1080 trials at Lake Wakatipu. “I did my first 1080 drop 27 years before DOC even came into being and I am fully aware that DOC has manipulated the system to suit the continued and widespread use of 1080 poison. They would never have got public support without misleading the public in relation to possums being carnivorous. I believe that the time has come for DOC to get out of pest control in New Zealand.”
Andi Cockroft, chairman of the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of NZ said he ran a series of experiments to see if possums would eat eggs, as claimed by DOC.
“Result was they’ll eat anything but the actual egg itself. In any case, Landcare Research studies where possum stomach contents were examined, revealed no evidence or traces of bird flesh, feathers or eggs.”
Poisons have damaged our native fauna and flora
Deadly poisons which kill both birds and insects, are employed to kill animals imagined as pests, says conservationists. South island bush robin, an insectivorous bird whose diet is lost by the eradication of insects via 1080 poison. 1080 was patented in the 1920s as an “insecticide”. Without food, robin numbers plummet.
Don Major said possums do not have a problem co-existing with native species in their native Australia, so why would they in New Zealand?
“Strikes me there is a whole phobia and huge monetary prize to be gained by painting these harmless herbivores as pests – millions of dollars in public tax-payer funds diverted to combat a mythical “pest”. Trouble is all the while spreading poisons willy-nilly around the place, our native fauna (and flora) are being decimated.”
Bird species were once so widespread and kea even had a bounty placed on their heads at one time. Now birds are facing extinction thanks to the zealous overreach of the mass poison industry.
“As always, in any modern “science” – follow the money,’ said Don Major.
Government (DoC) have generated a massive industry based on 1080 poisoning. Now they want you to fund this poison industry by charging people an entrance fee to visit public conservation lands.
Stewart Island is now being targeted and get this – DoC are saying that whitetailed deer are eating dotterel eggs, so it’s a good thing if they are killed by 1080 poison!
You just can’t make this up.
My personal opinion on DOC is that they are well passed their used by date here in New Zealand.
I think the quoted comment that, “to be a New Zealander it is almost compulsory to hate the possum”, should be called out for what it is – absurd.
During many years of talking to people about this subject it’s the carpet-bombing by 1080 that people hate.
The arguments against this agenda are utterly compelling. We shouldn’t be sidetracked by ignorant politicians and others who have a vested interest (through financial gain and/or career-building) in promoting it.
Follow the 1080 trail, who owns or has shares in its production, Ex ministers and the whole 1080 debacle is just a spinning wheel
Yes a total con job
Now studies show that 1080 is a major cause of river bloom and algae because it affects the water oxygenation
Hedgehogs were once considered a boon to home gardeners here in NZ, now hedgehogs are considered a pest to be eradicated, but in England they are protected!
Not that long ago a lot of kiwis made a good living trapping and poisoning the NZ possum numbers for their fur and animal meat. DOC have made that all to hard these days to work DOC controlled land.
Words like “pest” and “control’ should be dropped. Instead use resource and management. Wildlife management can embrace sensible management of numbers. The possum has been demonised by bureaucrats on both the subjects of forest health and Tb. OSPRI and DOC are two self serving bureaucracies that are not interested in facts.
There is research on autopsies of possum stomach contents–in all cases, NO trace of birds, feathers or eggs were found. In 1994 landcase Research scientist told DOC at a “possum Pest” workshop that DOC’s 70 million possum population was “bunkum” but even if one accepted the 70 m figure possums would consume just 15% of theforest’s daily foliage production.
$12 to $16 per possum using 1080. No brainer to put a $5 tail bounty on possums and reintroduce a means to make extra money for those needing it.so it becomes abundantly clear it’s a rort for officials to make large amounts of siphoned funds to personal accounts.
My personal opinion however is, leave the possum alone. Predator free is a bad joke. DOC will never achieve it and yet pushes this propaganda. Where I live all the surrounding farms to mine are against 1080 and will be ee allow the aerial or land spreading of it or other poisons. That on its own shows it’s an impossibility for predator free.
Please give up DOC yet again you are wrong. Let a few of our native birds survive
The propaganda about the evil possums killing wildlife is perpetuated by the self-serving idiots at DoC, so-called environmentalists (including Forest & Bird), politicians, the media and even includes the indoctrination of school kids. It’s a bloody herbivore, end of story.