Page 28 - aruba-today-20170520

A28 SCIENCE
Saturday 20 May 2017

New Zealand’s ambitious plan to save birds: Kill every rat

NICK PERRY the environment now.”
Associated Press The number of pests in
WELLINGTON, New Zealand New Zealand is many times
(AP) — New Zealand has larger than the human
set itself an environmental population of nearly 5
goal so ambitious it’s been million. Possum numbers
compared to putting a in 2009 were estimated
man on the moon: ridding at 30 million. Scientists
the entire nation of every can’t hazard a guess at
last rat, possum and stoat. how many rats there are
The idea is to give a second because their numbers
chance to the distinctive fluctuate wildly.
birds that once ruled this So far, the government
South Pacific nation. When has committed only a
New Zealand split away few tens of millions of
from the supercontinent dollars toward the project,
Gondwanaland 85 million which is estimated to
years ago, predatory cost billions. Officials say
mammals hadn’t evolved. more money will come
That allowed birds to from local authorities and
thrive. Some gave up flight philanthropists.
altogether to strut about Many aren’t waiting for
the forest floor. that. Along a popular
Then humans arrived, In this March 22, 2017 photo, two shag chicks sit on a nest with their mother at Zealandia in forest trail a 10-minute drive
bringing predators with Wellington, New Zealand. from the bustle of central
them. Rats stowed Associated Press Wellington, Jonathan
away on ships. Settlers work by surviving and unique, he asked? Its birds. the world.” Moulds takes breaks from
introduced brushtail breeding? Callaghan was suffering The goal has been his run to clamber up banks
possums — an Australian Scientists are talking about from advanced cancer embraced by many, and check rat traps.
species unrelated to North the mission in military and could barely stand. But although even its strongest He’s among 50 volunteer
American opossums — for terms: choking off pests for over an hour he outlined supporters say it will require trappers who incorporate
the fur trade and weasel- on peninsulas and then his predator-free vision, scientific breakthroughs. pest control into their
like stoats to control rabbits. advancing the front lines saying how growing up Some critics argue the plan regular workouts at the
The pests destroyed forest from there; developing he was inspired by efforts should also have targeted Polhill Reserve. Many
habitats and feasted on new traps and genetic to reach the moon and feral cats or worry mice became inspired three
the birds and their eggs. weapons; winning the how saving the birds could numbers might explode if years ago after rare native
More than 40 species of hearts and minds of become New Zealand’s rats disappear. Others say birds that disappeared
birds died out and many children and farmers alike. own Apollo program. He the effort is underfunded from the region a century
others remain threatened, Momentum began died a month later, but the and overly ambitious. ago began breeding there
including the iconic kiwi. growing five years ago vision grew. “It’s a again.
Now people want to turn when the nation’s leading Nine months ago, it became fantasy science fiction,” Paul Ward, who leads
back the clock. Yet the scientist, Sir Paul Callaghan, official government policy. says Wayne Linklater, a the volunteer group, lists
plan sounds impossible. delivered an impassioned Then-Prime Minister John wildlife biologist at the ways that birds have
How do you kill millions of speech. When it comes to Key announced a goal Victoria University of seeped into the culture,
vermin across a country heritage, he said, England to wipe out the nuisance Wellington. “And it really is from the country’s music
that’s the size of the United has its Stonehenge, China animals by 2050, calling seriously distracting us from awards that are named
Kingdom? How do you its Great Wall, France its it the “most ambitious some really big changes after the boisterous tui to
ensure a few furtive rats Lascaux cave paintings. conservation project and improvements we can the nickname for a New
won’t undo all the hard What makes New Zealand attempted anywhere in make in biodiversity and Zealander: kiwi.q