Thread: TB in possums - not many if any

Originally Posted by smidey

I think it increases the importance of reducing possum numbers, I'm sure we can all agree on that.

How best to do it is the big debate. Maybe as it's such a massive problem, a work for benefit scheme could involve possum eradication as one of the tasks and try to create a bigger fur industry for skins, plucked fur and baiting


Sent from my workbench

Only problem with these schemes is that possum trapping is possibly one of the most demanding jobs there is if your doing it to get a performance result (<5%RTCI).

Getting someone who struggles to motivate themselves to even get out of bed and try and find a normal (easy) job, to step up and do one of the toughest jobs there is almost never works. I know this first hand as I once ran a task force green team of possum trappers many years ago, with 32 people go through my program over a 5 year period, each of them had the option of staying with the team in full time employment and working for a living. Only ONE lasted the 5 years, all the others choose to leave even though they knew their benefits would be cancelled for leaving! None of those who left had another job to go to, they all left because they hated it so much they would rather plead poverty, than work hard.

In all honesty, I cringe when I hear work for DOL schemes mentioned as a solution for pest control, its a gross over simplification to a very complicated issue.

No offence is intended by my reply, its just that I already know the outcome through experience....the hard way.

Kj