One sunny Sunday, people who love animals gathered in Miramar, New Zealand. They had a special mission: to get rid of rats and protect the native birds.

Their mission was called Predator-Free Miramar. They wanted to remove every single rat to keep the bird population safe. The volunteers wore bright jackets and used jars of peanut butter mixed with poison as bait. They were ready for their special task.

Rats vs. Birds in New Zealand’s Quest

• Each person had an area to watch for rats. They checked traps and bait boxes with poisonous treats. Dan Coup, the leader, wished them luck as they started their rat-catching adventure. Dan used a GPS app to find and take care of the traps. He refilled the bait and updated the app, but none of the traps showed any rats.
• As Dan looked for rat droppings and signs of rats, he got a message on his phone. One of the participants sent a photo of a rat caught in a trap. It was a good thing, but Dan still felt a little sad because there might be more rats around.
• Getting rid of rats and other predators is a big goal for Miramar and all of New Zealand. The government wants to be predator-free by 2050. They already removed all rats from an island called South Georgia. Now, they want to do it on a much bigger scale.
• But some people have doubts. New Zealand used to have lots of birds that nested on the ground and didn’t need to fly. But when people came, they brought rats and other animals. Many native species were lost because of them. In 2010, people started to realize how much rats hurt the birds when they saw it on cameras.
• Politicians and people who care about animals joined together to help. They made laws to get rid of the worst predators like rats, mustelids, and possums. They also created a group called Predator Free 2050 Ltd to get money and resources for projects that test ways to get rid of the predators.
• One big project called Predator Free Wellington wants to remove pests all over the city, especially rats in cities. They give volunteers poison that works better than traps and a GPS app to keep track of things. The volunteers are becoming really good at catching rats. They check the rats to see if they were successful.
• Miramar is one of the leaders in getting rid of rats. There are a lot fewer rats now, and the native birds are coming back. The tui birds, for example, are seen in many backyards. Wellington’s success is because of special fences that keep predators out. Zealandia, the first urban ecosanctuary in the world, made those fences. These sanctuaries are safe places for rare birds to live and spread out.
• Some people think it’s better to focus on smaller areas and think it’s hard to get rid of all the rats. They also worry about how it affects the environment. But others say that with money and new technology, we can find a way. The path to a predator-free New Zealand is still uncertain, but people are working together to make it happen.

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