Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

It is highly appealing to imagine New Zealand without predators.

The Government's dream of a 100 per cent eradication by 2050 is commendable and probably a vote winner.

But is it really achievable? Very likely not.

I'd be the first to support any plan to rid the nation of pests and predators, and do more than most already towards that goal.

How many of you eradicated possums, rats and stoats in the weekend?

Not a pleasant job, but there is something satisfying in wasting a tree bear from the top of a pohutukawa with a 12 gauge at 2am.

It happens regularly at our place, and we're among the most ardent supporters of any control or eradication plan. So is my dog, whose hatred of the rude Aussie marauder is second only to the national disdain for Quade Cooper.

But this also alerts me to the realities of the Predator-Free quest. It will be next to impossible. Actually, impossible.We'd have more chance of ridding the country of other, more recently introduced pests…such as jetskis, animal hats, ukuleles and stick families on the back windows of cars.

Crashing back to earth

Okay, so maybe that's a bit harsh on jetskis, since many of my good mates ride them and are mostly considerate. Perhaps focus on eradication of inconsiderate boat-users generally.

When I first heard of the Predator-Free campaign, I was basking in the warm glow of the concept, imagining pristine NZ bush without tree-munching, bird-slaughtering invaders, when suddenly some comments from NZ First brought me crashing back to earth, with a hollow thump. Much like that of a marsupial just taken on board two-and-three-quarter inches of Mr Fiocchi's finest 24 gram lead product.

NZ First list MP Richard Prosser puts it into perspective: 'Nobody wants our native species being decimated by introduced predators but it has to be remembered that our birds and lizards have co-existed alongside ferrets and stoats for more than 130 years, cats for 200 years, and rats for more than 800 years, yet we still have birds and lizards. The rat is the preferred food of the stoat, which only switches to preying on birds when rat populations are depleted”.

Artificial

'There is now an uneasy equilibrium, albeit an artificial one, out there that we run the risk of upsetting if the task of mammal control is not very carefully planned and executed.

'No human society in history has succeeded in exterminating the rat, and it is highly unlikely that we will be the first.

The intention is so unrealistic as to be bordering on the irrational.

'Bird life flourishes around town fringes, where cats and rats and stoats abound but where aerial poisons are not used.”

Use of poisons

Richard says his party supports trapping initiatives and the development of new technologies, but are very concerned that the Government's approach will be to keep on increasing the use of poisons with systemic toxicity, threatening not only the species they claim to be trying to protect, but indeed our clean green image itself, in the pursuit of a plainly unattainable goal.

And I think he's right. The thought of Predator-Free NZ is a glorious and beautiful idea. But then, so is world peace.

Are either likely? No.

Here at RR headquarters, we have to ask how much 1080 is going to be tipped all over our backyards to achieve some of these results?

What I know would succeed: Putting more effort into better protected sanctuaries and continuing with the predator proof fencing of specific areas. We know this works. It is more affordable and achievable.

It's not the utopic vision of an entire nation predator-free. But it's not Fantasy Island, either.

As Mr Prosser says: 'Controlling pests down to sustainable levels, and increasing resourcing for larger, more numerous, and better-protected sanctuaries, is sensible and probably achievable”.

Keeping control

'Imagining that we can exterminate cats and rats from the entirety of New Zealand is very probably neither of those things”.

Best we can hope for is to continue keeping control, and maybe not lose sight of that creeping, insidious hazard: Stick people wearing animal hats and playing the pukulele, spreading unchecked among us.

It's not too late to exterminate, or at least deport them to Australia.

As Robert Muldoon may well have remarked, it would improve the musical talent of both countries.

brian@thesun.co.nz