(a) The Possum

In Tasmania the Possum, a native animal, is considered "vermin" and is poisoned with 1080. Possums are said to compete for foliage with the farmers' non-native sheep and cattle. The Federal Minister for the Environment has approved the creation of a whole new export industry based on the Australian native possum. Lenah Game Meats have a licence to trap them from the wild, and to slaughter, process and export a quarter of a million possums each year. IN TASMANIA THERE IS A FULLY-FUNCTIONING ABATTOIR EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SLAUGHTER OF POSSUMS.

Possum babies in the pouch are killed also, which makes nonsense of 'quotas' The Code of Practice suggests hunters might like to deliver live possum babies found in the pouch, to wildlife carers - if they can find carers willing to devote the considerable time and energy needed to restore an animal to health, to return it to the wild, only to have it suffer the horrors of capture by hunters and end its life in a gourmet restaurant.