Feral Cat 'Nine Lives' Killed After Three-Year Hunt for Rare New Zealand Ducks

A feral cat known as 'Nine Lives' was captured and humanely shot on July 30, ending a three-year hunt by conservationists in New Zealand. The cat had been preying on the country's rarest mainland duck, the pāteke (brown teal), on the Purerua Peninsula. The project manager for Pest Free Purerua, Andy Mentor, confirmed the killing, noting the cat's erratic behavior made it difficult to trap. The saga began in 2023 when conservationists released 20 captive-raised pāteke into the wild, only to find them dying within a week. Surveillance cameras identified Nine Lives as the culprit. Despite capturing other feral cats, Nine Lives evaded traps for months. In 2024, another 20 pāteke were released, and many were killed by Nine Lives. The cat was finally caught after showing up at the same spot three nights in a row, lured by salmon, fried chicken, and rabbit. Conservationists suspect Nine Lives killed up to three-quarters of the released pāteke and also ate kiwi chicks, geckos, and other native animals. The cat's body will be taxidermied for educational purposes. New Zealand has over 2.5 million feral cats, and the government added them to the Predator-Free 2050 strategy, aiming to eradicate them over 25 years. The plan targets only feral cats, not pets. Conservation minister Tama Potaka emphasized the need to remove invasive predators to boost biodiversity. The case highlights the difficulty of removing feral cats, as they are apex predators that avoid humans.