Hunted: The war raging in our backyards that we keep ignoring

by Vanessa Huang

Deep in the New Zealand bush, a seven hundred year-old battle is being fought. Beneath a canopy of sun-dipped leaves and rustling branches, invasive species are dishing out a massacre to our endemic wildlife.

And it’s all our fault.

Since our arrival in New Zealand, 53 of our native species have been brutally wiped out due to exotic pests that we introduced, such as rats, stoats, and possums. Having evolved in New Zealand’s peaceful isolation, our wildlife were no match for exotic predators, with many becoming easy pickings for these introduced pests.

Now over 25 million of our endemic birds are killed every single year by these vicious hunters, and a staggering 18 bird species teeter on the edge between survival and extinction today.

But we know all of this already, right?

It seems that the importance of conservation has been drilled into us our whole lives. It started in primary, when our teachers got us to make tracking tunnels and place them around the school. Then we were reminded of conservation in our NCEA or Bursary Bio genetics paper, where NZQA ‘subtly’ guilt-tripped us about the extinction of the moa. Now we're being stalked across the internet by a gazillion ‘100% Pure NZ’ ads of gliding kea.

We’re only bombarded by this much propaganda, however, because we need it.

Let’s be honest: it's probably been several years—if not more—since the topic of native birds or the Department of Conservation even appeared in your morning coffee with your mate. If it did, it was because you’d just made a trip to Zealandia with your family.

We do a presentation on native birds in primary and immediately forget the kākā exists until our own kids do the same presentations. We brag about our unique wildlife to tourists, but secretly buy kiwi souvenirs at the zoo for our children instead of for the greater good. We embrace our wildlife as national symbols, and yet, we choose to do nothing when our species teeter towards extinction.

Have we ever cared about the losing battle our species struggle in? About the desperate conservation efforts struggling against the tide of daily tolls?

What we’re doing right now is tossing kiwi carcasses away into the ‘I don’t care’ trash can in our minds.

Instead of embracing our unique treasures, we abandon them, despite how much they desperately need us. Even as our birds fall in blood-soaked battlefields, we stand on the sidelines and watch them succumb one by one to extinction.

It’s time to bite the bullet, get over our natural kiwi instincts to flight, and face the facts: without our aid, our feathered friends won’t make it out alive. They need our help, not just that of the local councils and the DOC rangers. We can turn the raging tide- but only if we work together to support the conservationists fighting for our birds at the front lines.

We can start with the simplest things, such as setting up rat traps. Although they may seem insignificant, these deadly contraptions help to reduce rat predation. Every trap is another gun for us to fight with.

We can also deploy bird feeders, which help sustain native bird populations and bring the fight onto a level battlefield. They play an important part in making our local area safer for our species and defended from unwelcoming predators.

Planting trees in our backyards will also contribute to conservation efforts. Serving as shelter, native flora are crucial to bringing our predators down. They act as the hardy trenches for our birds to hide in.

Let’s support local conservation organisations such as Urban Ark or participate in community restoration projects like those run by Conservation Volunteers NZ, so we can collectively work together towards a predator-free future.

Everything we need to win this war is within our reach- it’s a matter of acknowledging the dangers faced by our birds. It's about taking action in our gardens, volunteering to plant trees on predator-free islands, committing to advocacy and spreading the word.

As Kiwis, we have the responsibility to fight for the birds that we’re named after—and all the other wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. If we keep turning our backs to the battlefield behind us, we’re not just letting our precious taonga fall prey to the enemy. We’re surrendering to our own indifference.

Are we going to let this happen?

Together, we can seize a victory for our wildlife and ensure a thriving future for us all. What are you waiting for?


References:

Daly, M. (2019). How do we know predators kill 25 million birds, chicks and eggs each year? Stuff.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/science/109855658/how-do-we-know-predators-kill-25-million-birds-chicks-and-eggs-each-year

Department of Conservation. (n.d.). Threatened & at risk birds. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/conservation-status/threatened-birds/
New Zealand Government. (2017, July 27). New Zealand congratulated on predator-free campaign. Scoop. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1707/S00365/new-zealand-congratulated-on-predator-free-campaign.htm