In response to the documented decline of New Zealand’s native flora and fauna in the face of introduced predators, the New Zealand Government has set out to eradicate several species of mammalian predators by the year 2050 through its Predator-Free 2050 initiative (PF2050). This collaborative, nation-wide programme reflects an investment in a biological and social movement that depends on cross-sector cooperation and community partnership, multigenerational awareness, engagement and action. Hence there is legitimate public and scholarly interest in the issue of how best to convey key predator and pest control themes within conservation communication targeted at children. In particular, concerns have been raised about the potential effects of these messages on the development of empathy and healthy attitudes toward stewardship of nature as a whole.
This commissioned report explores the literature on this theme, starting with the literature on children’s empathy for nature and animals, before looking to the research on the development of moral reasoning and empathy in children. The report will then draw on these two bodies of literature – along with research on communicating complex issues with children – to discuss how PF2050 messages can be communicated to children in an age-appropriate context. The report concludes with a set of principles intended to help guide conservation educators in designing predator control education programmes for childre
