Up First from NPR Kiwi vs. Predator
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Oct 26, 2025 Lauren Sommer, an NPR Climate Desk correspondent, shares her insights from New Zealand's ambitious Predator Free 2050 campaign aimed at eradicating invasive species. The discussion dives into the fascinating efforts of student volunteers trapping pests to protect vulnerable wildlife like the kiwi. Sommer also explores the ethical debates surrounding predator control, the immense costs involved, and cutting-edge technologies, including AI-enabled traps and species-specific poisons, that could revolutionize conservation efforts.
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Students Trapping Invasive Animals Locally
- Town Belt Kaitiaki students volunteer to plant trees and set traps to protect local wildlife.
- They actively trap and kill invasive animals like possums, rats and mice to defend native species.
Tracking A Tiny Kiwi Chick In The Wild
- Lauren Sommer joined Fakatani Kiwi Trust to locate a five-week-old kiwi chick using a radio transmitter.
- The team found a tiny North Island brown kiwi and performed a health check before releasing it to the wild.
Stoats Drive Kiwi Mortality
- Young kiwi survival is extremely low, around 5%, primarily due to stoat predation.
- Stoats were introduced to control rabbits but became efficient killers of native birds instead.