Invasive mammals are a primary threat to New Zealand’s endemic species. In remote areas, aerial delivery of poison is the preferred method of pest management, although it faces some public backlash. Novel pest control technologies are currently being investigated as alternatives but may face similar concerns. To investigate potential social and demographic determinants of public perceptions of new methods for pest control, we conducted a national choice experiment, focused on several novel technologies: gene drives, Trojan females, and species-specific poisons. We found that preferences strongly depend on the type of technology, with Trojan female technology strictly preferred to the other two. Although several characteristics affected preferences in predictable ways—education, trust in science, and liberal political leaning increased acceptance—the same did not hold with preferences for aerial delivery. Our results are useful for targeting future engagement campaigns and leveraging existing efforts.

中文翻译：

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公众对新型侵入性虫害控制技术的接受的人口和心理驱动因素

侵入性哺乳动物是对新西兰特有物种的主要威胁。在偏远地区，空中传播有毒物质是有害生物管理的首选方法，尽管它面临着公众的强烈反对。目前正在研究新的害虫防治技术，作为替代方法，但可能面临类似的问题。为了调查公众对有害生物防治新方法看法的社会和人口统计决定因素，我们进行了一次国家选择实验，重点研究了几种新技术：基因驱动，特洛伊木马和特定物种的毒物。我们发现，偏好在很大程度上取决于技术的类型，特洛伊木马女性技术绝对比其他两种技术更受青睐。尽管某些特征会以可预测的方式影响偏好，例如教育，对科学的信任，自由主义的政治倾向增加了人们的接受度，而空运的偏好则不一样。我们的结果对于定位未来的参与活动和利用现有工作很有帮助。