New Zealand Has 34 Years To Get Rid Of Rats

Prime Minister John Key has announced that a new joint venture with the private sector, Predator Free New Zealand Ltd, would drive the program, which would have rats, possums and stoats as its main focus.

He also suggested the total economic cost of the “pests” is around $3.3bn (€2.1bn) a year.

Rob Fenwick, the chair of the Predator Free New Zealand trust, who are leading the programme, told The New Zealand Herald it would allow a military-level response to the problem for the first time.

It will be set up by the beginning of next year.

“The only promise is that the Government will look to contribute one dollar for every two dollars from councils and the private sector”.

The goal is to eliminate the critters by 2050, but some scientists say it will be really hard to do. They’ve been around since 2013, and have a map of predator control projects throughout the country.

“Project Taranaki Mounga and Cape to City in Hawke’s Bay are great examples of what’s possible when people join forces to work towards a goal not achievable by any individual alone”.

The Predator Free NZ Project would combine the resources the lead Government agencies – the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Primary Industries.

While poison will play a part in some areas, ministers are also banking on technological advances, Radio New Zealand reports. “For this project to work it will need the urban communities to get on board”. Introduced species like possums, rats, and stoats kill around 25 million birds native to New Zealand like the kiwi yearly, according to the government.

“Extinction rates for birds in New Zealand are high 34 percent of endemic land and freshwater birds and 5 percent of sea birds”, says the DOC website.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce said New Zealand would prove itself a world leader in conservation science and technology.

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