Controversial New Zealand Children's Cat-Killing Competition Canceled.

A New Zealand hunting competition that encouraged children under 14 to kill feral cats for prize money has been canceled after backlash from animal rights groups. Feral cats are a significant threat to the country's unique wildlife, including native birds such as the flightless kiwi. New Zealand has set an ambitious goal of eradicating all nonnative pests by 2050. However, animal rights groups worried that children could easily mistake house cats for wild animals and would struggle to kill them humanely.