Wildlife Autumn 2007 (spring wildlife Down Under)

[John Forrest]

How about a nice mouse collar Lesley

[Lesley Cox]

For Heaven's sake John, I know you are sweet and loving to your mouse population, but do they really need collars?

[Maggi Young]

Is this why I am waiting in vain for my lorry load of possum pelts to make a bedspread with, Lesley?

Farm an animal, eat it; farm it, wear it... where's the difference? NZ possums are a pest, use their fur to keep warm... works for me! I would ask for decent life and humane death.

I have heard that in some places Genets are kept as pets, because they are so nicely marked and furry and a conveniently small sized, I suppose. I cannot condone that, if you want a pet, get a grey spotty cat... a Genet, of  course, while looking catlike is not a cat.... related to mongoose, I thnk.

[Maggi Young]

Average size for Genet, 20 inches, including long thin tail, so you'll need a few to make your back panel, Lesley 

[Lesley Cox]

Maggi I have no finer feelings for possums. They're pests with no redeeming features, in the NZ landscape at least. As native Aussies I guess they're OK there. As well as eating our native flora they carry and spread tuberculosis among cattle. When I have a lorry-load, you shall have them with my blessing. I could have sent 4 off at the weekend but Roger burned the bodies along with rose clippings et al. They'd been lying around for a week or two so were not in any condition to send around the world.

[Rogan]

Hands off my cute little genet you lot!     We don't have possum problems here, but I could certainly send you a few vervet monkeys which have developed a taste for my Babiana bulbs - cute and lovable as they are (...the vervets and the babianas) 

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Litoria raniformis, in my garden yesterday.

Andrew.

[annew]

Wow! So bright, and yet so well camouflaged.

[mark smyth]

definitely nicer than our frog

[Lesley Cox]

All frogs are nice Mark. Andrew, next time forget the Oxalis or aroid bulbs. How about a package of Litoria raniformis

[Anthony Darby]

Where is your garden Andrew?

[Maggi Young]

As a bit of an intro, I live in Palmerston North and grow mostly Oxalis, aroids and asclepiads along with a decent collection of carnivorous plants and assorted orchids/bulbs/whatever appeals.

Andrew is a New Zealander who was tempted out of hiding by Lesley!!

[Lesley Cox]

I can't remember how we came across each other but Andrew has been sending me not only super pictures of his plants but many many Oxalis species and different aroids. Hugely generous, especially since I don't have much to interest him. So be nice to him

[Anthony Darby]

I think fur coats should stay on the owners. I've seen dogs being skinned alive for the fur trade and it's not nice. The fur trade has wiped out many rare animals and introduced vermin to many countries e.g. the mink and the coypu in the UK. I find the banter about possum coats and genet jackets amusing, but deep down I know it is just that: banter. If the coat owners wore them for practical purposes they would be inside out. In this country cruelty is what happens to produce the coat. In certain other countries, where minds are simpler, and shallow is in, cruelty is not owning one. I don't think anyone could accuse the fashion industry of being populated with deep thinkers. I well remember models like Naomi Campbell (allegedly) saying she would never ever ever wear fur - that is until the following year, when 'fur was in' and they all sang the praises of fur.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's the latest addition to my classroom. A captive bred Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis).