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New Zealanders are engaged in a daily struggle to protect their isolated islands at the edge of the world. Visitors pass through a biosecurity gantlet at the airport, with specially trained beagles sniffing out such contraband as seeds, fruit, vegetables, meats, or honey. Border agents spray camping gear to kill contaminants. On a larger scale, the government’s Predator Free 2050 campaign aims to eradicate all introduced predators by 2050 to allow native fauna and flora to thrive. As the in-flight Air New Zealand video announces before you land, “This fragile place is all we’ve got. …That’s why we guard it.”

There’s a reason we’re so defensive. Before humans,

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