Predator Control
Some predators have been permanently removed from the island, such
as cats and possums. Rabbits too have all gone. Attempts have been made over the years to
completely remove rats and mice. It probably worked initially for rats, but not for mice.
Rats (mainly Norway rat) do swim to the island from time to time. Mice however, continue to breed
on the island, but are kept at very low numbers.
The entire island has a grid of nearly 800 bait stations at
25m by 25m intervals, containing rat poison to control rats
and mice (click here to view bait station). The up-harbour facing
main paddock has mown strips down it to help service these bait
stations. Each station contains a small amount of bromadiolone
bait to kill rodents. Please do not disturb these bait stations,
and be mindful of children.
There are about 40 wooden box traps set around the island, on
nearby Rat, Rabbit and Knight islands. Stoats appear to be the
mustelid most able to swim to the island. The Bank of New Zealand
Save the Kiwi Trust fund predator trapping on the island and in
the buffer zone. In 2007, 1 stoat & 2 rats were trapped on Matakohe-Limestone
Island and 14 stoats and 8 rats in the buffer zone (nearby islands
and harbour shoreline. Some of the traps are
adjacent to walking tracks. They contain DoC-200 traps, set for
stoats and rats. They can break fingers, so please do not disturb
them and be particularly mindful of children.
Every three months the Ranger sets out 48 tracking tunnels around the
island to check for predators that may have made it to the island.
These consist of stiff black plastic or corflute folded or tacked to
a base-board to form a tunnel. Inside is a card board strip with an inked area in the
middle. When something walks through the tunnel, it leaves footprints on
the papers.
Footprints of mustelids and rodents are the most important to us, but the tunnels also
show insect tracks, lizards, frogs and the occasional bird.
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| Many people do voluntary work on the island.
If that sounds like you, contact us ... click
for more |
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| Working on the island not your thing? There
are other ways to help ... click
for more |
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