"The results showed respondents were significantly more likely to support the use of gene drive technology if there was a perceived problem of invasive species in their local neighbourhood," Dr Mankad said.
Invasive plant and animal species are estimated to cost Australia around $25 billion a year, compounding the environmental impacts of extinction and biodiversity loss.ĬSIRO scientist and co-author of the report Public perspectives towards using gene drive for invasive species management in Australia, Dr Aditi Mankad, said synthetic biology was a relatively new area of science that like other new areas of science, needed to involve consideration of social risks, benefits and values. They have been a main driver of 27 animal extinctions in Australia, including the Macquarie parakeet, and are one of the most economically costly invasive species to manage. The research found 86 per cent of people were at least moderately supportive for the local implementation of gene drive technology to manage invasive feral cat species in their local area.įeral cats kill about 3.2 million mammals, 1.2 million birds, 1.9 million reptiles and 250,000 frogs per day in Australia, most of which are native species. Researchers from CSIRO surveyed more than 3,800 people across Australia to understand public perceptions of using gene drive on feral cats. Gene drive can determine the sex of offspring, reducing the number of animals able to reproduce, and therefore over time driving down populations. New genetic technologies could help address the rise of invasives through a number of ways, one of which is called gene drive.
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