Biodiversity challenges
in New Zealand
New Zealand’s geographic isolation has
resulted in a high level of endemism,
with many species not found anywhere
else in the world. As is the case in many
other countries, it has seen declines in
numbers of threatened species and some
extinctions. According to recent statistics,
81 per cent of native birds are threatened,
74 per cent of native fish and all lizard and
bat species. The government’s current
Biodiversity Strategy has been running
since 2000 and at the moment another
20-year plan is being formulated.
The number-one cause of biodiversity
erosion is damage caused by introduced
species including possums, rats, mice
and stoats. The controversial method
used for tackling them is the use of 1080
(sodium fluoroacetate) poison baits, usually
dropped from the air. While 1080 does
kill some native wildlife, according to the
mainstream view far more damage would
be done to the country’s native biodiversity
were such a poison not employed.
Some species that have sadly
disappeared from the New Zealand
mainland are still found on certain
offshore islands. In a good news story,
Kapiti Island, located off the North Island,
has eradicated its population of possums
and rats and allowed populations of birds
to thrive that in some cases are extinct
on the mainland. These include the little
spotted kiwi, kokako, saddleback and
stitchbird. Another protection strategy
involves mainland reserves protected by
pest exclusion fences.Turning things around
Actions that people can take may be as
simple as avoiding poisons for rodents and
using humane traps instead. This avoids
unintentionally poisoning predators such
as birds of prey. Drive slowly in rural areas
at dusk and dawn, when animals are more
likely to be active. It is always helpful to
have the number for the local wildlife
rescue service saved into a phone in case
you come across an injured animal on the
road. As cats kill large numbers of native
animals, think about not owning a cat that
is allowed to roam outside.
At an activist level, groups working to
protect wildlife include the Wilderness
Society in Australia, Forest and Bird in New
Zealand and the World Wildlife Fund in
both countries. More radical is the global
Extinction Rebellion direct-action network
that divides its focus across the issues
of climate change and biodiversity. Some
political parties such as the Greens have
strong biodiversity policies.
On a wider scale, planetary
regeneration and reforestation are
needed. Rewilding is a broad-scale
conservation strategy that involvesprotection of large wilderness areas,
connecting them up via migration
corridors and reintroducing apex
predators (operating at the top of
a food chain) and keystone species
(those that play a critical role in an
ecological community).
A new initiative is the Natural Climate
Solutions campaign. This is an attempt to
strategically align responses to the issues
of biodiversity and climate change, using
nature restoration as a carbon sink in order
to pull excess carbon from the atmosphere.
In order to be successful, it would have to
be combined with decarbonisation of the
economy. Among those involved is teenaged
climate activist Greta Thunberg.
In 2017, 50 conservation scientists
proposed a Global Deal for Nature that
is bold in concept. This evolved into the
Nature Needs Half campaign, calling for
half of the planet’s oceans and land mass
to be set aside for wildlife in protected
areas by 2030. Like Extinction Rebellion,
it has a very ambitious timeframe. Its logo
is an hourglass symbol and its goals align
well with rewilding and those of Natural
Climate Solutions. There is a sign-on
statement that organisations can sign.
To be successful, these projects will
have to involve the world’s remaining
indigenous peoples. Although indigenous
people number less than 5 per cent
of the world’s population, they are
effectively the custodians for 80 per cent
of its biodiversity.
What would a natural set-aside look like
on the ground? With meat and dairy foods
alone taking up 83 per cent of the world’sarable land, there would need to be major
dietary shifts. Human population growth
would have to be slowed down or managed
via increased densification. As with reining
in climate change, the only realistic chance
of success would involve government curbs
on what has until now been considered
free behaviour. As no political party with
such a platform is likely to be elected, this
raises awkward questions about how a swift
transition to sustainability could work in
a democratic political system. However,
this ambitious set-aside vision is the type of
bold measure needed to protect the planet’s
remaining biodiversity.
Humans have a huge role in the fate of
voiceless creatures that cannot vote, lobby
or argue for protection on social media.
But we can step in and be their voice.Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher
based in Lismore.Resources
Living Planet Report
wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/all_
publications/living_planet_report_2018
Remembrance Day for Lost Species
lostspeciesday.org
Natural Climate Solutions
naturalclimate.solutions
Nature Needs Half
natureneedshalf.orgUltimately, the largest driver
behind habitat loss
is consumer pressure in
affl uent countries.106 | wellbeing.com.au
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BIODIVERSITY