The health of humans could benefit should rats and possums successfully be eradicated, as part of the Predator Free 2050 campaign.
“Possums carry bovine TB, which is also an ongoing and expensive livestock problem. It is less well known that possums also provide a potential reservoir for mosquito-borne diseases such as the Ross River Virus" says Dr McIntyre, of the University of Otago, Wellington.
Rats can carry salmonella, toxoplasma, giardia, campylobacter and several others infections.
In New Zealand we have a moderate climate, abundant food, and possums have few natural enemies which makes the ideal environment.
In comparison to Australia, the possums average a kilogram heavier and give birth twice a year in New Zealand.
A concern for New Zealand comes with the mass fruiting and seeding which leads to dramatic increases of rodent populations.
A build-up of their predators such as stoats and feral cats then happens.
These animals are potential vectors for human disease.
"Eradicating possums, rats and stoats could also have the additional benefit of removing the need to use 1080 poison for pest control", says Dr McIntyre.
“We believe it is in everyone’s interests to support the eradication of these introduced creatures, not just for the sake of New Zealand’s native plants and animals, but also for the health concerns of our human population,” Dr McIntyre says.
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