I note that the Minister of Conservation, Kate Wilkinson, has seen fit to give katipo spiders (both black and red) absolute protection under the Wildlife Act. It will now be illegal to kill these spiders, harm them, disturb them, or destroy their eggs. Remarkably, from 8 July 2010, these poisonous creatures will now have more protection under the law than human beings.
Every day, on average, 50 human beings are mercilessly killed in NZ abortion clinics: about three a week in Marlborough; 15 a week in Otago. And many more fertilised human eggs are destroyed through the use of abortifacients (contraceptive and “morning after” pills, and IUDs). How sad that we are willing to give greater protection to spiders than to our own children.
