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In May Forest & Bird’s Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project carried out a second round of pest animal monitoring in parks and on private land where they manage predator control.
Staff and volunteers used 238 tracking tunnels and wax tags to detect pest animals, with a focus on rats and possums.
The wooden tunnels were specially made by the Hibiscus Men’s Shed.
This year, geography students from Ōrewa College also learned about pest animal monitoring from project manager Jenny Hanwell, and installed two monitoring lines.
In May, only 18 percent of the monitoring devices showed evidence of rats and just one percent indicated possums were present.
Jenny points out this is “only a snapshot” of the actual pest presence, but is a positive sign that pest control is having an impact. Pest Free Hibiscus Coast’s long term target is to have numbers of pest animals detected down to a level of five percent or lower, with complete eradication the ultimate aim.
“More work needs to be done and it needs ongoing community support and effort to be successful,” Jenny says.
The results of the monitoring will be used to improve the trap lines where pests were detected and help determine where more control is needed.
The monitoring is done twice a year, with the next round happening next month.
Residents are encouraged to get involved with the effort to eradicate pests, starting in their backyards. Free, pet-safe, humane tested rat traps are available from the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast web page. Possum traps are also available for loan and Hibiscus Coast Forest & Bird sells rat bait and secure stations.
