New Zealand’s War on Rats Could Change the World

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/11/new-zealand-predator-free-2050-rats-gene-drive-ruh-roh/546011/?single_page=true

by ZoeZoeBee • 9 years ago

14 3 9 years ago

theatlantic.com

vanattab• 9 years ago

In its raw power, some conservationists see a way of achieving impossible-sounding feats like exterminating an island’s rats by spreading genes through the wild population that make it difficult for the animals to reproduce.

How can a gene drive which prevents reproduction spread to the whole population? And wouldn't it be self limiting? I kinda of seems like me to be the opposite of a gene drive.

emilyfm• 9 years ago

The province of Alberta, Canada (more than twice the land area of New Zealand) is free of rats.

In their case, it was largely by stopping rats entering from the east (Saskatchewan) in the 1950's - there are natural barriers on the other three sides.

History: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agd...

Still, NZ could be divided into areas that have natural barriers, and peninulas (plenty of them), and start intensive poisoning barriers in those areas, expanding towards the sea.

Doesn't need gene editing, which certainly has unknown risks.

contingencies• 9 years ago

In 1997, farmers illegally smuggled a hemorrhagic virus into New Zealand to control rabbit pests.

Interesting. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/798d/8b6f9874ae41d0105b012b...

New Zealand’s War on Rats Could Change the World

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