“Trapping is a more labour-intensive activity, but we made the decision to trap rather than to bait in order to achieve a more humane "instant kill" and to be able to better monitor results,” says Paul McSherry and Andrew Malloy who are part of the rat busters group on Waiheke Island.
Read MoreThe Rocky Bay trial will run through the months of June and July in collaboration with the Rocky Bay Ratbusters. The trial is designed to understand rat behaviour around bait stations, if interactions differ between bait station designs, and if service frequency influences rat behaviour or bait take.
Read MoreThe Ostend trial will run from May to September 2022 and include a variety of complex urban habitats such as the Resource Recovery Park, storage facilities, cafés, industrial businesses, wetland and mangroves. While there is much known in New Zealand about eradicating rats in rural, bush and forested areas, there is little known about eradicating rats from urban environments.
Read MoreYou may have seen recently that there have been adaptations to the operational rat pilot due to Omicron disruptions. In the adapted pilot design, there are three separate operational trials to answer the specific questions that island-wide eradication poses. Over the next week, we will outline how each of the trials work and what will be learned from them.
Read MoreHave you ever considered a job in conservation? Whether you want to just dip your toes in or lay the foundations for a career in the field, Te Korowai o Waiheke has some great opportunities coming up. The rat pilot, set to begin operations on May 2nd, will need seven more field team technicians on the ground.
Read MoreHuhu beetles are one of Aotearoa’s most eye-catching creatures. To hold one in your hand would take up most of your palm with an intricately patterned brown shell and long antennae. If you do for some reason end up holding one, likely it won’t be for long as they can deliver a nasty nip, followed by their angry screeches of “let me go!”.
Read MoreTrapping in your backyard has loads of benefits. It can help save wildlife, prevent costly property damage, keep homegrown food safe, prevent an infestation, and halt the spread of diseases by rats. It also offers an alternative device for rats that may be bait shy because of a bad experience with a bait station.
Read MoreOn this, the 24th of February, we celebrate the collaborative efforts of the island-wide stoat eradication project as it reaches its second anniversary. Over the past two years, we have learned a lot. As a team, we are continuing the work, committed to the common goal of tracking down every last stoat.
Read MoreWe're delighted to announce that Markus Gronwald is stepping into the Operations Manager role for the upcoming rat pilot. He's completed a PhD thesis on behavioural ecology, monitoring and management of invasive rats on islands, and has spent the last year as Monitoring Lead for Te Korowai o Waiheke.
Read MoreFaced with disruptions associated with the Omicron outbreak in New Zealand, Te Korowai o Waiheke has taken technical advice to modify the rat eradication pilot beginning on May 2nd.
Read MoreThere is nothing as unmistakable as the low whooping of outstretched kererū wings, or the crunch of foliage under two crimson feet wrapped in billowing pantaloons. Courtship in the bird world is unlike any other, with dramatic dances, colourful shrines and impressive calls. Male manu pull out all the stops to catch the eye of a potential partner. The same goes for kererū.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what the difference is between shorebirds and seabirds? Well, first of all, seabirds are pelagic and spend most of their life at sea. Shorebirds on the other hand are largely migratory.
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