Mātai Kōkako Conservation Project
EST 2022
PEST MANAGEMENT
The network was established with significant advice and installation expertise from Lindsay Wilson, and Natasha and Satoshi Yamamoto of WilderNZ. This was uncharted territory for the Maddock Family.
A draft network layout was updated to what we see below, after Lindsay first walked the site, to establish the trapping network. WilderNZ provide ongoing assistance to the project as needed. (Thank you, team!)
The site set-up and ongoing servicing and catch information is managed using the TrapNZ software. The trap lines from TrapNZ are shown in the photograph below.
The property is very steep – there is a 200 metre elevation increase from the lower south-west corner to the higher north-east corner. The perimeter is just over 4 km. Driving out to the north-east corner of the site to cover the perimeter has to be done in 2 tranches due to the track layout. The overall distance here is 10 km.
Where possible, the trap lines are based around tracks on the property and on neighbouring properties (where permission has kindly been given for this access).The approach to the management of pests is as follows:
1. The trapping of larger pests – possums, mustelids and feral cats.2. The poisoning of smaller pests – rodents.
There is crossover, of course, with rodents being killed by both bait and the DoC traps. Possums also are attracted to the rodent bait, and some will meet their demise this way.
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