‘Operation Stoat’ begins again at Shakespear

Another stoat is appearing on the open sanctuary’s cameras. Photo, Auckland Council A picture of a stoat, captured on a Shakespear Open Sanctuary thermal imaging camera a year ago, has recently given rangers and volunteers that sinking feeling again.  It took two years to eradicate the last incursion after a pregnant female stoat was discovered in the sanctuary in 2020 and gave birth there. Stoats are a major threat to birds, especially species that spend time on the ground such as saddlebacks (tieke), kiwi and stitchbirds (hihi), all of which are resident within the sanctuary. There are ...