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Merredin-Wheatbelt Mercury
June 2, 2010
WAYNE Holroyd from Nungarin feels that the reputation of ferrets has been much maligned by reports they are a pest.
On May 5, the Mercury reported that the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAF) had placed ferrets on WA’s Declared Animals List due to their potential to become a pest if released into the wild.
Mr Holroyd, who is the doting owner of eight ferrets, called the Mercury to defend his furry friends.
He said while the DAF’s concerns about feral ferrets may relevant in the southern parts of the State, ferrets could not survive in the wild in the Wheatbelt.
“The claim that ferrets are dangerous to the environment, I believe is incorrect,” he said.
“Ferrets find it very difficult to survive in the Australian environment and get sick if the temperature is more than 28 degrees Celsius.”
Mr Holroyd, who works at the Nungarin Shire, said he first became interested in ferrets four years ago because he heard they were useful for hunting rabbits.
Mr Holroyd is now a ferreting expert and often receives requests to bring his ferrets out to farms where he has trained them to drive rabbits out of their holes into nets.
He said this role made them invaluable in the fight against pests rather than a threat.
“There are several farmers out here that I visit with my ferrets and I’ve wiped out quite a few rabbit warrens,” he said.
“I think we took out more than 50 rabbits in one farm and that was only in two warrens.”
He said if anyone saw a ferret or knew of one on their property, they should not kill it but call him as he was a qualified volunteer ferret catcher.
He delivers lost and abandoned ferrets to Ferret Rescue in Perth.
“If you put lactose-free milk or food down they will go towards it,” he said.
“Put them in a bird cage with a blanket and I can come and pick them up.”
Mr Holroyd is also a dedicated member of the West Australian Ferret and Ferreting Society (WAFFS) and joins them for regular events in Perth such as ferret races involving 12-foot long PVC pipes.
“They’re lovable pets,” he said.
“Once you’ve seen them and cuddled one, you can get so attached to them.
“One of mine likes to climb up my leg and jump onto the desk and he’s great on the computer.”
Anyone who finds a lost or abandoned ferret on their property can have it collected by calling Mr Holroyd on 9046 5292. |
