A large grey tabby cat that killed dozens of endangered pāteke (brown teal ducks) across three years in New Zealand has been captured and killed after repeatedly evading trappers.
The cat, named "Nine Lives" for its ability to escape capture, roamed the Purerua peninsula near New Zealand's North Island. Conservation officials estimate it killed roughly 1 percent of the entire mainland pāteke population, along with kiwi chicks, native geckos, and other indigenous wildlife. Its "very erratic" behavior made it exceptionally difficult to trap.
Pāteke rank among New Zealand's rarest mainland ducks. Feral and domestic cat populations pose persistent threats to the country's native species, particularly flightless birds and small reptiles that evolved without mammalian predators. The pāteke population had dwindled to approximately 1,500 birds, making each loss ecologically significant.
The three-year hunt for Nine Lives highlighted the practical challenges wildlife managers face on New Zealand's islands and peninsulas. Feral cats demonstrate remarkable learning ability, avoiding traps after single encounters. The Purerua peninsula's terrain and the cat's elusive behavior compounded containment efforts.
This incident underscores New Zealand's ongoing struggle with invasive predators introduced during European colonization. Stoats, rats, possums, and cats devastated native fauna unprepared for mammalian predation. DOC (Department of Conservation) and regional authorities employ predator control programs, exclusion fencing, and captive breeding initiatives to protect endangered species like the pāteke.
The cat's elimination removes an immediate threat to the local pāteke population. However, systematic feral cat management remains essential across New Zealand's conservation areas. Officials continue monitoring the Purerua peninsula and similar habitats where invasive predators threaten endemic species recovery.