Looking back over the long history of our struggle to protect New Zealand’s native fauna from stoats and other introduced predators, we can see that determination, new technology and passionate advocacy have won some important battles, but we have not yet won the war. It helps to summarise what we know now, in order to make important contributions to the ongoing debate on the prospects for future management. But the one solid conclusion already available is that native fauna can recover given enough good habitat, reliable food resources and protection from predators. Highly motivated community trapping operations and fenced sanctuaries can supply these; further progress will depend on as-yet unknown future technology.