Kiwi are New Zealand national icons facing extinction from introduced predators. Predator control raises welfare questions for both the kiwi and the animals controlled to protect them.
Kiwi conservation involves genuine welfare trade-offs. Predator control prevents significant welfare harm and death in kiwi populations but causes welfare harm to the animals being controlled. Brodifacoum causes internal bleeding over days in affected animals — a welfare-significant cause of death. Developing more humane and species-specific control methods, including trapping and emerging fertility control technologies, reduces welfare costs while maintaining kiwi protection. Supporting this research is a welfare-positive action.