SUPPOSED POLECATS

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1932, Page 12

SUPPOSED POLECATS

REPORTED NEAR RAGLAN. THOUGHT TO BE BIG FERRETS. A report that polecats had. been seen recently in the Raglan district has been, received by the New Zealand Herald from ia correspondent, who stated he killed one after it had engaged in a fight with a dog, .while others had been seen about his property, He declared that a number of hens had been killed, supposedly by polecats, about the district, and three animals, believed to be polecats, had beenitrapped. f.:,_ . ... Describing the animal killed during the fight with the dog, the correspondent stated it. was ,25iu. from nose to the tip, of the tail, while it weighed nearly. 3i lb. The animal had a characteristic odour, and after similar’ animals had visited hen-houses the birds’ refused to roost in them, preferring to roost in the open. One supposed polecat was .seen crossing a road, and it trotted with an action like a cat, not with the pounding fox-like 'gait of a ferret. This animal appeared to be about 3ft. long. . In conclusion, the corerspondent stated that the animals had been in evidence only during the past year, and it was thought in the district, that they had been introduced into New Zealand while young in mistake for fully-grown ferrets, J An official of the Agricultural Department in Auckland, to whom the. report was referred, said the importation of polecats into the Dominion had never been permitted. About 50 years ago it had been proposed to allow the introduction of polecats and foxes, but there was so great Opposition that they were both prohibited. As far as he knew, nq. ferrets had-been imported, to Auckland for about 30 years. ' It was probable that the animals- were large brown buck ferrets, which were coloured like polecats, and which at times weighed 41b., while they would grow over 2ft. long. Large wild ferrets, which were very ferocious, would attack a dog, and they were frequently known to kill poultry. If any polecats were at large it was almost certain that they would have attacked sheep and lambs.