Mike Ross

In Aotearoa New Zealand (A-NZ), Norway rats ‘ Rattus norvegicus ’ have a grievous effect on many taonga ‘culturally prized’ species of flora and fauna. This is of concern to Indigenous Māori as customary and future guardians of the natural environment. This ecological crisis has prompted consideration of new management tools to aid the existing suite of tools. Scientists are exploring a next-generation transgenic tool, single-sex offspring selection (SSOS), theoretically capable of producing a landscape-scale population-collapse for Norway rats. As novel biotechnologies, like SSOS, are often framed within Western-scientific understandings, this research sought to recentre Māori opinions in Predator-free Aotearoa 2050-focused discourse and gauge the degrees of acceptability – or otherwise – of SSOS. 20 participants engaged with a video ‘primer’ explaining SSOS, of which 18 undertook Q-Method preference rankings, and semi-structured one-on-one interviews or focus groups to determine degree of acceptance for various aspects of SSOS in pest control. Data analysis identified three ‘factors’ that capture the divergent views subgroups have about SSOS: those being, Factor 1, Kia māia ‘Be bold’ as the potential benefits of SSOS warrant further exploration; Factor 2, Kia tūpato ‘Be careful’ to ensure risks are mitigated as we await ‘proof of concept’; and Factor 3, Kia mataara ‘Be alert’ to the potential for unintended consequences. Overall, while most support ongoing research into next-generational rat-control methods, including SSOS, the consensus view, Kia tika ‘Be just, correct’ indicates such support is caveated with concerns about safety and risk, and the degree to which Māori, as an 1840 Tiriti o Waitangi co-signatory, exercise tino rangatiratanga ‘absolute chieftainship’ over the decision-making and management of taonga , invasive, and transgenic species alike.