Dunedin scientists have unlocked a new way to control one of our most pervasive pests - the possum.
They've mapped the genetic code of the brushtail possum, which could be used to lure other possums towards a trap.
There are tens of millions of possums in Aotearoa New Zealand.
"I was once told that there are 20 possums for every New Zealander," the Co-First author Melanie Laird said.
Introduced here in the late 19th century to establish a fur trade, possums are now a pest - more than $150 million is spent each year trying to control them.
"Every night they eat through tonnes and tonnes of native forest and they also carry bovine tuberculosis in particular, which threatens our agriculture industries," said study lead Tim Hore.
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka / Otago University scientists have used DNA (genome) sequencing to help stop that.
"This is the first time that the possum genome has been sequenced. It's one of the best genome sequences we have," Laird told Newshub.
Having their full genetic code will allow conservationists to track and monitor target populations, to see and stop their movement.
Possums are nocturnal, so they don't rely on their eyesight.
"They actually secrete signals into their urine, so we were able to find the genes that code for those scent-carrying molecules in urine and find that there's some novel ones that haven’t been seen by science before," Hore told Newshub.
Molecules produced from these genes could be used to lure possums towards a trap.
This will also help preservation efforts in Australia, where they're treasured, and protected by law.
"The possum that we sequenced is actually a hybrid with mixed heritage partly from tasmania and heartland Australia," Hore said.
"It’s a really important model for understanding both how marsupials have evolved, and also other mammals like humans and mice."
And to continue our quest for a pest-free New Zealand.
