Pests

New Zealand is under constant threat from introduced pests and weeds. Nature is virtually destroyed by them. So New Zealanders (Kiwis) are always fighting the animals who wreak havoc to the natural vegitation of their country. These animals are mostly rodents like rats and possums (especialy possums)and other pests like weazels and wild cats. Weazels and cats eat birs eggd and birds, while possums destroy the natural habbitats. (they eat the NZ bush alive) Especially the Kiwi is vulnerable. Often we´d see signs warning you are entering a Kiwi zone, where dogs are banned and you see traps everywhere. It is even said that the kiwi used to be a day animal, but changed to nightlife because of all the introduced pests.
So it is understandable that the New Zealanders are very ruthless when it comes to getting rid of these pests. You see run over possums everywhere (they are called `new zealands little speed bumps´), and people chear you on when you do hit one.
A pamflet says that when you do find a dead one (in a trap) you should check if they still have young in their pouch, and if so, kill them by "hitting them over the head with an iron rodd", this would be more humane than "drowning them" or "putting them in the freezer" (actual quotes!) And you must realize that these rodents are fucking big!
If all this sounds cruel, just think that New Zealanders have to make a choice between a possum and kiwi. Not killing the possums, will result in the end of native birds like the kiwi and maybe even the tui. Who would you choose? Even if one of em looks like a rat with a beak...