Five years of trapping in the Park

Since day one, our Predator Control Team has removed 670 predators from the Park – an average of around 11 catches every single month, for five years straight.

Over this time, the team has caught 459 rats, 59 mustelids (stoats, weasels and ferrets), 59 hedgehogs, 90 “other” category species (mice, rabbits, feral cats etc) and 3 possums (although possum control in the Park is carried out separately by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, so the real number is higher still).

Nationally, the Department of Conservation estimates introduced predators kill around 25 million native birds, chicks and eggs every year. Every one of our 670 catches is a dent in that number and proof that consistent, everyday trapping adds up.

These results are testament to the hard work of our Predator Control Team who volunteer their time to monitor the 82 traps spread across the Park. Thank you to the team, past and present, for all their mahi to protect the biodiversity of the Park.

Image caption: Millie surveys the view while her owner checks traps along the Giant Circuit.