Wildlife-Devouring Feral Cat 'Nine Lives' Caught After Three-Year Effort
Trappers used cameras and lures over three years before shooting the cat, which had been killing native brown teal and other wildlife.
- Trappers in New Zealand killed 'Nine Lives,' a feral cat blamed for decimating a local population of rare pātēke, after a massive three-year effort to capture the elusive predator.
- The large grey tabby first came to attention in 2023 after a release of captive-reared pātēke on Purerua Peninsula, according to coordinator Andrew Mentor, who said the cat killed most of the rare ducks.
- Highly averse to human contact, Nine Lives proved difficult to track; Pest-free Purerua trappers experimented with many lure types and expanded camera networks before locating and shooting him at a feeding spot last Thursday.
- With the feline gone, Pest-free Purerua's five paid workers can now refocus on 'detect and respond' strategy, stopping possums and feral cats from re-invading the peninsula via a 2-kilometer-wide neck of land.
- Coordinator Andrew Mentor plans to take trappers and their partners to dinner to acknowledge their dedication, saying 'Without that, we wouldn't have had this outcome' after nights spent camping in the bush.
12 Articles
12 Articles
A wild cat that had been hunting endangered birds in New Zealand's Northland region was finally caught after a three-year pursuit and dozens of unsuccessful attempts. The cat, nicknamed "Nine Lives" by conservation teams, had preyed on numerous pāteke (brown ducks) and other birds during this time.
The hunt for New Zealand’s deadliest cat is finally over
Nine Lives, a feral cat blamed for wiping out a local population of rare pāteke ducks, has been killed as part of New Zealand’s campaign against invasive predators. CNN’s Antoinette Radford joined the hunt for him in January.
After Three Years of Searching, Wild Cat that Killed Dozens of Rare Birds Is Captured in New Zealand
For three years, a wild cat challenged conservation teams in New Zealand, escaped from traps and decimated part of one of the country's rarest birds. Called "Nine Lives" ("Nine Lives"), the feline was finally captured and shot down, ending a persecution that mobilized environmentalists and rekindled the debate on the control of wildcats to protect native fauna. U.S. police reopened the case of a dead woman for more than 30 years and investigated…
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