New Zealand has decided to rid the entire nation of every last rat, possum and stoat. The idea is to give a second chance to the distinctive birds that once ruled this nation. When New Zealand split away from the supercontinent Gondwanaland 85 million years ago, predatory mammals hadn’t evolved. That allowed birds to thrive.
Then humans arrived, bringing predators with them. Rats stowed away on ships. Settlers introduced brushtail possums for the fur trade and weasel-like stoats to control rabbits. The pests destroyed forest habitats and feasted on the birds and their eggs. More than 40 species of birds died and many others threatened, including the iconic kiwi.
Now people want to turn back the clock. Yet the plan sounds impossible. Scientists are talking of choking off pests and then advancing the front lines from there; developing traps and weapons; winning the hearts and minds of everyone.
