Project Scope

The project aims to tackle the biggest pest present in the area, that represents the biggest threat to the native fauna; the rats. A survey undertaken by the group leaders has returned the rat as the greatest pest problem. Stoats are seldom sighted. Possums have been greatly diminished and bother native birds little. Wallabies are an issue but apart from habitat issues have no direct threat to the kiwi and other natives present.

Property owners have been, in most cases, targeting rats through bait stations and standard traps, but anecdotal evidence says these efforts are mainly focused on area immediately in and around the house or bach despite the average property being around 4000 sq..

The scope is to use the Good Nature A24 rat trap mainly to target rats and to ensure efforts extend up into the bush where rats have been seen to exist feeding on bird eggs, pururi berries, insects and others food available deeper in the bush.

The area covers approximately 60 hectares. There are around 39 properties there of which 26 have been contacted and so far 21 have agreed to be a part of the program. 

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For the project the Goodnature A24 trap is being used primarily because they require little ongoing maintenance which suits our property owners who spend on average around 30 days at their properties per year. The new version of the A24 will have better data available via Bluetooth allowing us to know how many rats or stoats were killed, at what times. Tracking them via the app allows for fast location and checking. Also bait handling is avoided, an issue for some owners. Traps can easily be converted from rats to stoats if they are present. We are using monitoring tunnels to gain insights to pest locations and numbers prior to deploying traps.