Roadside feast for baby ferrets

Sharp-eyed Angelique Riddell spotted a litter of young ferrets tucking into a road-killed pukeko on Woodlands Rd yesterday. Since it was just a stone’s throw from N8N headquarters one of the staff photographers went out and took a few snaps. The ferrets were completely fearless and quite unconcerned about the presence of two humans (and Marley the office cat) just a few metres away.

Ferrets are cute but vicious – one did serious damage to N8N’s poultry flock a few years back (though it was caught in the act and dispatched). There don’t seem to be that many of them around Gordonton – we see more stoats, which have a red coat and a long, black-tipped tail, and lack the mask across the eyes. There are also a few weasels in the district – like stoats but smaller, with a short tail lacking the black tip. (“They’re weaselly distinguished because they’re stoatally different.”)

All are bad news for New Zealand wildlife – N8N will be digging out the traps.

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Number 8 Network - a community website for the rural areas northeast of Hamilton, NZ, is run by Gordonton journalist/editor Annette Taylor.

9 thoughts on “Roadside feast for baby ferrets

  • December 18, 2012 at 9:30 am
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    Quite nice looking little critters, unfortunately they have a mean streak in them and I have experienced their nasty ways with some of my chickens too.

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    • December 18, 2012 at 9:54 am
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      Yes, it is a shame they look so cute. And are intelligent – friend of mine had one as a pet. But oh, they have a mean streak a mile wide. Sorry about your chickens.

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  • December 18, 2012 at 9:49 am
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    Surely they can’t be all that dangerous. I understand English rabbiters used to carry their friendly ferret down their trousers . . .

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    • December 18, 2012 at 9:57 am
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      Oho! I wouldn’t try putting one of these darlings anywhere near my trews! (Huge hissing and spitting and thumping last night – ferret vs our cat Marley. Marley is okay, but covered in scratches and her dignity is not what it was. They must go!)

      Reply
  • December 18, 2012 at 1:38 pm
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    indeed they must go, as in despatched forthwith by sharp-eyed photograhers and every responsible citizen! Alan

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    • December 18, 2012 at 2:11 pm
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      Quite right. Three traps set last night, three empty traps this morn. We can wait…

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  • January 6, 2013 at 10:14 am
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    Well spotted. Where is your shotgun? Could have got 2 in one go. Good luck with the trapping.

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    • January 8, 2013 at 7:56 am
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      Not quite sure what happened to them but suspect the cat had a hand in seeing them off. Ah well…

      Reply
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