The Research Strategy for a ‘Predator Free’ New Zealand

Tompkins, Daniel M.

doi:10.5070/v42811002

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…While the complete eradication of invasive pests is generally accepted to achieve the greatest biodiversity gains and relief from disease transmission, factors such as terrain, labour costs, ongoing surveillance, biosecurity response and reinvasion certainty make eradication at scale on mainland New Zealand extremely difficult. New techniques are required [ 21 , 22 , 31 ] to meet the Predator Free New Zealand goals [ 32 ] of eradicating rats, stoats ( Mustela erminea ) and possums by the year 2050.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Targeted Mop up and Robust Response Tools Can Achieve and Maintain Possum Freedom on the Mainland

Cook

Mulgan

2022

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Unfenced sites on mainland New Zealand have long been considered impossible to defend from reinvasion by possums, and are thus unsuitable for eradication. In July 2019, we began eliminating possums from 11,642 ha (including approximately 8700 ha of suitable possum habitat) in South Westland, using alpine rivers and high alpine ranges to minimise reinvasion. Two aerial 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) applications, each with two pre-feeds, were used. Here, we detail the effort to mop up existing possums and subsequent invaders in the 13 months following the aerial operation. Possums were detected and caught using a motion-activated camera network, traps equipped with automated reporting and a possum search dog. The last probable survivor was eliminated on 29 June 2020, 11 months after the initial removal operation. Subsequently, possums entered the site at a rate of 4 per year. These were detected and removed using the same methods. The initial elimination cost NZD 163.75/ha and ongoing detection and response NZD 15.70/ha annually. We compare costs with possum eradications on islands and ongoing suppression on the mainland.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Targeted Mop up and Robust Response Tools Can Achieve and Maintain Possum Freedom on the Mainland

Cook

Mulgan

2022

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…New Zealand presented a useful case-study given the country's strong environmental ethos, often viewed as part of the national identity (Seabrook-davison and Brunton 2014; Russell et al 2015). Predator Free 2050 (Tompkins 2018), a government and community initiative to rid New Zealand of introduced predative pest species (stoats, possums, and rats), encapsulates the country's strong conservation focus. This ethos sits in contrast to another strong national belief that is still held by many New Zealanders todayan anti-GMO sentiment and distrust of politically-supported scientific initiatives (El-Kafafi 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation pest control with new technologies: public perceptions

MacDonald

Neff

Edwards

et al. 2021

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…If management of rats and other pest mammals over an extensive, heterogenous environment is to be successful and eradication achieved, it is critical that we have a better understanding of fundamental pest population responses, and are equipped to apply appropriate tools during eradication efforts to monitor and counter such responses. Community groups (such as Picton Dawn Chorus) and other organisations have an important role in reducing competition with and predation of native species at a local level, but also an extremely valuable, under-utilised potential to contribute to the population genetic modelling that is required if pest species are to be eradicated over a large landscape (Tompkins 2018 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three species of rat ( Rattus rattus , R. norvegicus, R. exulans) are troublesome pests in Aotearoa New Zealand (Tompkins 2018 ), and problematic around the globe, transmitting human diseases and damaging food resources (Gilabert et al 2007 ; Sonne 2016 ; Strand and Lundkvist 2019 ). The three rat species in New Zealand were introduced by humans and are recognized as environmental pests due to their negative effect on native fauna and flora—eating birds, seeds, snails, lizards, fruit, insects, eggs, larvae and flowers (Daniel 1973 ; Innes 1979 ; Wilmshurst and Carpenter 2020 ; Wolf et al 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genotypic detection of barriers to rat dispersal: Rattus rattus behind a peninsula predator-proof fence

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Clear delimitation of management units is essential for effective management of invasive species. Analysis of population genetic structure of target species can improve identification and interpretation of natural and artificial barriers to dispersal. In Aotearoa New Zealand where the introduced ship rat (Rattus rattus) is a major threat to native biodiversity, effective suppression of pest numbers requires removal and limitation of reinvasion from outside the managed population. We contrasted population genetic structure in rat populations over a wide scale without known barriers, with structure over a fine scale with potential barriers to dispersal. MtDNA D-loop sequences and microsatellite genotypes resolved little genetic structure in southern North Island population samples of ship rat 100 km apart. In contrast, samples from major islands differed significantly for both mtDNA and nuclear markers. We also compared ship rats collected within a small peninsula reserve bounded by sea, suburbs and, more recently, a predator fence with rats in the surrounding forest. Here, mtDNA did not differ but genotypes from 14 nuclear loci were sufficient to distinguish the fenced population. This suggests that natural (sea) and artificial barriers (town, fence) are effectively limiting gene flow among ship rat populations over the short distance (~ 500 m) between the peninsula reserve and surrounding forest. The effectiveness of the fence alone is not clear given it is a recent feature and no historical samples exist; resampling population genetic diversity over time will improve understanding. Nonetheless, the current genetic isolation of the fenced rat population suggests that rat eradication is a sensible management option given that reinvasion appears to be limited and could probably be managed with a biosecurity programme.

show abstract

The Research Strategy for a ‘Predator Free’ New Zealand

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

Targeted Mop up and Robust Response Tools Can Achieve and Maintain Possum Freedom on the Mainland

Targeted Mop up and Robust Response Tools Can Achieve and Maintain Possum Freedom on the Mainland

Conservation pest control with new technologies: public perceptions

Genotypic detection of barriers to rat dispersal: Rattus rattus behind a peninsula predator-proof fence

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About