By Ngaire Wallen, TOSSI
Over the last couple of years, an extensive amount of effort has been directed to strengthening the protection offered by a buffer zone outside the predator fence at Tawharanui. This has been achieved by providing support to local community groups along the Takatu Peninsula, and the creation of the Takatu Landcare Group.
Buffer zone pest control is a stark contrast to what happens now inside the fence. A recent check of just one of the trap lines installed at Baddeleys and Campbells Beach recorded the death of one mouse, four rats and three weasels. The line had been checked just a fortnight earlier. The year-to-date tally for Baddeleys and Campbells is impressive: 23 weasels, two stoats, 164 ship rats, eight Norway rats, eight possums, seven hedgehogs and 90 mice. When the potential offspring of these animals is taken into consideration, we are confident that the positive long-term impact on bird life in the area will be significant.
Monitoring the bait lines inside the fence is an entirely different matter. In some six years of monitoring, one line in the centre of the park has resulted in something like half a dozen mice. A zero-kill is a good result – it indicates that trapping closer to the borders of the sanctuary is working effectively.
As local community groups increase their trapping efforts, the buffer zone for Tawharanui will not only increase the protection of native species found inside the fence, but will become a safer habitat for birds that make their home outside the fence. There are already resident kakariki at Baddeleys and Campbells, migrants from Tawharanui known to have nested last year. Dotterel are often seen on the beach at low tide. Kaka have flown overhead for a number of years, and it appears are now nesting somewhere close by. Pateke and kaka reside at Christian Bay in increasing numbers. It is a story with nothing but a happy ending.
As always, anyone who would like to participate in monitoring trap lines, either inside or outside the park, is most welcome and can contact the park for more information on the local community groups currently undertaking this important task.
The planting season for 2016 is now complete, achieving a total of 20,000 plants. Volunteers at the park will now be working on other projects, including tidying up ready for the next lot of seedlings, continuing with monitoring the fence and trap lines and a range of other activities.
For more information on opportunities to become actively involved, please contact us on secretary@tossi.org.nz or visit our website tossi.org.nz.
The next workday is Sunday September 4, and will be followed by the AGM.
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