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No More Rats? New Zealand Wants To Be ‘Predator Free’ By Killing All Rats, Weasels, Possums By 2050

By Glenn Hadley
Published on: 12:34 PST, Jul 26, 2016

Rats beware: The New Zealand government wants to get rid of all of you!

According to The Guardian, it’s all part of the government’s recently announced “world-first” project. Prime Minister John Key confirmed Monday that the country will experience a “radical pest extermination program” with the primary objective of making New Zealand a “predator-free” zone by 2050.

Within the wide world of rodents, this means that rats are not the only creatures on the country’s hit list. The report states that possums and stoats (or short-tailed weasels) are also targeted for extermination over the course of the next 34 years.

Prime Minister Key opened up about the “world-first” project and ambitious rat plan in an official statement.

“Our ambition is that by 2050 every single part of New Zealand will be completely free of rats, stoats and possums. This is the most ambitious conservation project attempted anywhere in the world, but we believe if we all work together as a country we can achieve it.”

Mick Clout, the emeritus professor of conversation from the University of Auckland, expressed his excitement over New Zealand’s ambitious rat plan, claiming that it would be a “remarkable world first” if the monumental goal is achieved. According to Clout, even the government’s intention to rid New Zealand of its predators is a significant accomplishment all by itself — especially since the project now has governmental support and financial backing.

However, Clout also admitted that completing the “world-first” project to eliminate all rats, weasels, and possums in nearly three decades will come with its own set of challenges as well.

“The biggest challenge will be the rats and mice in urban areas… [This project] will need the urban communities to get on board. Possum extermination will be the easiest because they only breed once a year and there are already effective control methods in place.”

Advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell feels the same way about support and active involvement from the cities.

“The biggest hurdle in the end will be public support for the project. That will be the most important facet of this.”

In his opinion, New Zealand would not be able to become predator free without targeting the cities. He even suggested reaching out to locations such as Alberta, Canada, for guidance on handling rat infestations within urban environments. With active support, Hackwell believes that New Zealand “could be on track” to becoming predator free by 2040 — a decade sooner than its projected deadline.

What are some of those effective pest control methods already in existence throughout New Zealand? According to The Guardian, possum hunting alone has been very successful, especially with the rising popularity and profitability of possum fur. Other pest control methods include trapping and ground baiting as well as the widespread yet controversial use of 1080 aerial poison drops.

Are rats, weasels, and possums really “predators” throughout New Zealand? Even though the word “predator” may seem to depict much larger and more dangerous creatures, these particular species have reportedly done a lot of damage in recent years. According to the New Zealand government, 25 million native birds are killed each year by these introduced species.

The New Zealand Kiwi, a national symbol and flightless bird that is comparable in size to a domestic chicken, is perhaps one of the most victimized species. The report states that these birds are now dying at an average rate of 20 birds a week. These introduced species, including rats, stoats, and possums, are reportedly costing the New Zealand primary sector and overall economy NZ $3.3bn ($2.3 billion USD) every year.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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