New Zealand Listener - October 13, 2018

OCTOBER 13 2018 LISTENER 5

recent research. It is not based

on any signs of the humans

themselves, but of the pas-

senger they brought with them

• the pacific rat (kiore).
  Kiore appear in the record
  through laughing owl middens
  and discoveries of rat-gnawed
  seeds and could only have
  reached New Zealand with the
  aid of humans, who used the
  rats as a food source. Whether
  the visitors were true colonists
  or not, they definitely made
  landfall and escapee rats initi-
  ated what has been described
  as a “blitzkrieg” against the
  local fauna.
  Although New Zealand
  was not lacking a wide range
  of predators (it is a common
  misconception that somehow
  the land was predator-free), the
  local fauna had not evolved
  to be able to survive against
  rapidly reproducing mammals
  that hunted by scent rather
  than sight.
  Kiore caused the first of the
  three great extinction waves

the country has seen within

its recent history (the third is

still ongoing), wiping out the

majority of the smaller ground

or near-ground dwelling birds,

mainland seabird colonies and

a whole host of reptiles and

amphibians. Other species

such as the lyall’s wren were

reduced to tiny remnant popu-

lations on offshore islands,

only to be exterminated by

later introduced vermin.

As is often the case when

looking for evidence of

humanity, it is best to look

for the destruction they have

wrought, however uninten-

tionally, rather than the people

themselves.

Richard Stretton

(Oratia, Auckland)

DON’T BLAME US

Garry Kyle off-handedly says

that New Zealand is compen-

sating “dairy farmers for a

self-inflicted disease” (Letters,

September 29). I feel the need

to disabuse him of this notion,

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TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above to [email protected],

with “Caption Competition No 302” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries

can be posted to “Caption Competition No 302”, NZ Listener, Private Bag 92512,

Wellesley St, Auckland 1141, or submitted through listener.co.nz/

win. Entries must be received by noon, Tuesday, October 16.

THE PRIZE The winner of our weekly caption competition will

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Caption Competition {[email protected]}

FINALISTS

Woman on right: “A group of silver foxes is called a ‘skulk’.”

• Rex McGregor, Auckland

Bill Clinton: “Check behind me – is that #metoo looking for

utu?” – Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt

Woman on right: “History’s not the only place Bill left a

mark.” – Kath Jones, Waikanae

Alec Baldwin: “Trump’s a disgrace!”

Clinton: “Hold my cigar.” – Elise Graham, Whanganui

Baldwin: “I get the laughs at home, Donald gets them at the

UN.” – Kath Jones

Woman on right: “Which one is the ventriloquist?”

– Jim Primrose, Hamilton

WINNING CAPTION

Libby Tate, Lower Hutt

Just behind

you, Bill, to the

left – run!

although I am unclear what he

means by self-inflicted.

Farmers – not just dairy

farmers – are being compen-

sated (if they go cap in hand,

hold their mouths right and

jump through the hoops just

so) for the effects of Govern-

ment restrictions imposed

on their businesses, not the

disease (mycoplasma bovis),

and rightly so.

It’s rather like being quaran-

tined because you may have

come into contact with some-

one who may have had the flu,

and therefore are prevented

from working and generat-

ing income. Yet the bills keep

coming.

Although our farm has

tested negative for the disease,

the effects on our fledgling

business may yet be terminal,

and the stress we have been

under I wouldn’t wish on

anyone.

A little more understanding

of the situation would be won-

derful to see. However, I note

farmer victim-blaming is fairly

rife in letters to the editor.

Sharon Bailey

(Wakeeld)

MAUI’S HOOK LOOK

I have recently seen and was

very moved by the film Maui’s

Hook (Film, July 21). I would

urge all New Zealanders to

Caption

competition

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