Cull of the Wild: Killing in the Name of Conservation

Investigating the ethical and practical challenges of one of the greatest threats to biodiversity: invasive species

Invasive species pose a danger to ecosystems across the world. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity ranks them as a major threat to biodiversity on par with habitat loss, climate change and pollution. Tackling the problem isn't easy, and no one knows this better than Hugh Warwick, a conservationist who loathes the killing, harming, and eating of animals—yet as an ecologist, he is acutely aware of the need, at times, to kill invasive species whose presence harms the wider environment.

Warwick explores the complex history of species control, revealing the global movement of species and the impacts of their presence. Combining scientific theory with gentle humour in his signature style, he explains the issues conservationists face to control non-native animals and protect native species—including grey and red squirrels on Anglesey, ravens and tortoises in the Mojave Desert, cane toads in Australia, and the smooth-billed ani on the Galapagos—and describes cases like Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos and the Burmese python pet trade.

Taking a balanced and open approach to this complicated subject, Warwick speaks to experts on both sides of the debate. How do we protect endangered native species? Which species do we prioritise? And how do we reckon with the ethics of killing anything in the name of conservation?