Bringing in snow leopards just too risky

GRACE JESSOP

Year 11, South Otago High School

SHOULD snow leopards be allowed in New Zealand?

A petition to create a snow leopard sanctuary in the South Island high country has recently made the news.

The purpose of the sanctuary would be to protect the threatened cats, build relationships with the Himalayan regions, and to attract tourists (and their cash).

But has the petition organiser really thought about the terrain, our native birds and our livestock? The high country can be wet, rugged, and hard to fence. Fenced park areas in South Africa sometimes fail to contain big cats such as lions and leopards.

What hope do we have, then, in containing snow leopards up high on mountain faces?

The risk of escape seems too high. And if one escapes, where does it go?

To neighbouring farms to snack on our cows and sheep, the source of farmer income and some of New Zealand’s main exports.

New Zealand wouldn’t just be watching our livestock attacked.

The high country is home to native wildlife, such as the kea.

Our kea is the last alpine parrot left in the world, now in red on the world’s most endangered list.

Bringing in the snow leopard risks slaughtering our bird, potentially bringing it to the brink of nonexistence.

Should we risk this for the sake of some money in hand or in the hope of building relationships?

Is that really what our country wants? It is foolish and unwise.

New Zealand is still trying to rid itself of pests we allowed to come in over 180 years ago.

The possums, stoats and wild cats still threaten our flora and fauna today.

We should not be willing to grow this list, and hurt our own species further.

Aotearoa is a haven for outdoor activities, treasured as being a safe place with few harmful animals.

We’re able to tramp and not worry about some aggressive animals lurking nearby.

Importing these snow leopards could change all of this, for we will be unsure of where potential escapees lie.

We do not need to fear large intimidating felines sneaking around our tents.

What if we did let them in? Would we be content with the money they bring in?

Or in a few more years, would we look into bringing the Siberian tiger here as well?

We do like being diverse — it’s a thing that we’re good at — but do we want to extend this to bringing exotic animals into our wilderness?

For if so, it would be at the cost of us. We’ll see our precious wildlife slip away just like that.