Trapping together for Waiheke: 100th stoat milestone reached

Celebrating the collaborative efforts of delivery partners who are making milestones in the island stoat eradication possible. 

In an incredible eradication collaboration, committed volunteers, contractors, farm staff, community groups, park rangers and Te Korowai o Waiheke field team, have worked together to service over 1600 traps more than 55,000 times since the beginning of 2020. This milestone coincides with the removal of 100 stoats out of the Waiheke environment.  

“As a team, we celebrate the outcomes,” says Project Director Mary Frankham. “The exploding kākā numbers on the island is a clear indicator that the programme is making a difference in the island’s ecosystem.”

The name Te Korowai o Waiheke was gifted to the trust with the aim of creating a protective cloak for the island, by removing predators. It was also deliberately chosen to reflect the act of whatu – a weaving together – to create something of significance. 

This collaboration is unique in the conservation space because most large-scale eradication projects are delivered by professional pest management staff only, highlighting here the essence of whatu and Waiheke’s grassroots passion for the environment.

Dr Andrew Veale has conducted genetic analysis on the stoats caught in the eradication and found a lack of genetic diversity, which suggests there hasn’t been a newcomer for some time. This also indicates that once the eradication is successful, the risk of reinvasion is low.

He says once the project is successful, it will be the biggest stoat eradication by order of magnitude in the world.

“We are so excited this collaboration continues to work well 18 months in, “says Mary, “and to be hitting the huge 55,000 trap service and 100th catch milestones together.”