Feral cats will be added to Predator Free 2050's hitlist, a sharp change of policy announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
Describing feral cats as "stone cold killers", Potaka told RNZ they would "join their buddies, stoats, ferrets, weasels - mustelids, rats and possums" on the official list for eradication.
The move appears to be a sudden change of tack after RNZ's reporting this week pointed out Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had promised during a 2023 election debate to add feral cats but failed to do so.
A proposal recently circulated by the government suggested feral cats should continue to be excluded from the strategy and Potaka made no mention of including them when approached by RNZ earlier this month about Luxon's campaign promise.
But today, Potaka said it had been decided a couple of weeks ago to include them. He would not say why it was announced today.
It marks the first change to the list of species since the target's in
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