Kia Tika – Do the Right Thing! Indigenous Māori perspectives on gene-based eradication of rats

Kia Tika – Do the Right Thing! Indigenous Māori perspectives on gene-based eradication of rats | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Kia Tika – Do the Right Thing! Indigenous Māori perspectives on gene-based eradication of rats King-Hunt, Alan, Mercier, Ripeka, O., Szakats, Susanna, K., Ross, Mike, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9431384/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract 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. Cultural Studies Environmental Policy Conservation Biology Indigenous perspective environmental guardianship genetic modification biotechnology single-sex offspring selection Q-Method Norway rats kaitiakitanga Māori Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Tables 1 to 5 are available in the supplementary files section Supplementary Files 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSTable1Participantdemographics.docx Table 1: Participant demographic information and occupational background 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSTable2Consensusstatements.docx Table 2: Statements indicating consensus across all factors according to factor analysis 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSTable3Factors123.docx Table 3: Three factors (participant groupings) emerged from data analysis 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSTable4Positiveviews.docx Table 4: A summary of reasons given to explain positive views about SSOS 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSTable5Negativeviews.docx Table 5: A summary of reasons given to explain negative views about SSOS 30.03.26KiaTikaSSOSPQMethodresearchdata.txt PQ-Method-generated data Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9431384","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":623913904,"identity":"1a4d3350-4485-4730-b6bb-595875e3f988","order_by":0,"name":"King-Hunt, 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declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTables 1 to 5 are available in the supplementary files section\u003c/p\u003e","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKia Tika – Do the Right Thing!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIndigenous Māori perspectives on gene-based eradication of rats\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Victoria University of 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4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn Aotearoa New Zealand (A-NZ), Norway rats ‘\u003cem\u003eRattus norvegicus\u003c/em\u003e’ have a grievous effect on many \u003cem\u003etaonga \u003c/em\u003e‘culturally prized’ species of flora and fauna. This is of concern to Indigenous Māori\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003eas 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, \u003cem\u003esingle-sex offspring\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eselection\u003c/em\u003e (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 \u003cem\u003edivergent views\u003c/em\u003e subgroups have about SSOS: those being, Factor 1, \u003cem\u003eKia māia\u003c/em\u003e ‘Be bold’ as the potential benefits of SSOS warrant further exploration; Factor 2, \u003cem\u003eKia tūpato\u003c/em\u003e ‘Be careful’ to ensure risks are mitigated as we await ‘proof of concept’; and Factor 3, \u003cem\u003eKia mataara\u003c/em\u003e‘Be alert’ to the potential for unintended consequences. 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