New Zealand authorities have allocated $300,000 for a campaign to eradicate an ezmin that appeared on an island known for its rare animal species. For the past 25 years, Chalky Island in southwestern New Zealand has been a sanctuary for threatened species such as the flightless parrot and giant lizard that can’t be found anywhere else. The island is home to Te Kākahu skink lizards, kiwis, and kākāpō parrots, making it a priority area for biodiversity conservation in the Fiordland region.
In August 2022, conservation staff on Chalky Island discovered a male ezmin, a predator native to Eurasia and North America that hunts birds and other prey. The Department of Conservation (DOC) launched a major campaign involving trapping experts, sniffer dogs, camera traps, helicopters, and boats to trap and kill the ezmin over eight months. The cost of the mission was $300,000, a price deemed worth it by authorities to protect vulnerable species on the island.
Ezmin were introduced to New Zealand in the late 19th century to control rabbits but ended up decimating native bird populations. They are known to kill millions of native birds every year in the country. In an effort to protect these species, New Zealand has invested over $30 million since 2016 to become a predator-free country by 2050. This ambitious plan aims to eradicate rats, possums, ferrets
