Is it morally OK to wear fur?

It is not okay to harvest fur from a species that is endangered or facing endangerment. Fur made into clothing from those species should not be worn either. As they say, “when the buying stops, the killing will too”. If the clothing is generations old, then again it is okay because it was from different times. Now we should only be using fur from renewable resources.

To say, “fur is murder” is the same as saying “meat is murder”. If you believe that then it is probably not worth listening to my argument. Carnivores require meat to live, to stop meat being murder we would have to kill all carnivores, and I just cannot see that happening.

New Zealand became famous as the nation with 12 times more sheep than people, but a much scarier fact is, we have 20 times more possums than people. That number is also likely to be increasing. Possums are not native to New Zealand, so no animal or plant species have developed defences to their attacks. Possums in New Zealand eat approximately 21,300 tonnes of vegetation each night. This includes most of out native species such as pohutukawa, rata, totara, kowhai and mainly more, possums feed on new growth, and within 2 years of a tree being browsed, the tree is most likely to die.

Possums also displace many native bird species, by out competing them, or eating their eggs. The possum has been blamed for several bird and plant extinctions. They also eat our rare snail and insect species. Finally the carry TB which causes problems in New Zealand largest farming sector (dairy), which is killing many of the cows.

When you buy New Zealand possum fur, you are supporting all of New Zealand’s native wildlife and flora. Possums are pests, and any removal technique that works should be employed.

Buy New Zealand possum fur and save New Zealand. It is your moral dutie.

(Note I do not work in the fur industry, nor do I own any fur, I am a biology student, and I know how bad these animals are and how bad they will be in our future.)