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| Clockwise from top left: ship-rat raiding a fantail nest, bait drop by helicopter, stoat, mistletoe, brodifacoum poison, pohutakawa. [Photos: DOC] |
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is eradicating the remaining animal pests on Rangitoto and Motutapu to create a nature sanctuary.
The project will remove ship rats, Norway rats, mice, cats, rabbits, stoats and hedgehogs.
The Department has already removed possums and wallabies, and are coordinating the reforestation of parts of Motutapu and weed control on both islands.
Removing these invasive pests restores the islands to the conditions that once existed, allowing native birds, animals and plants to live in a safe environment.
The Benefits
Rangitoto's pohutukawa and rata forests will be free to flourish.
New habitats will be available for threatened native species such as the kiwi, kaka, tuatara and mistletoe.
The islands' small populations of native birds will increase substantially and will, DOC hopes, spread to the mainland.
Rangitoto and Motutapu will join other islands in the Hauraki Gulf already free of pests, such as Tiritiri Matangi, Motuora and Motuihe.
The difference in bird and plant life on islands with pests and those without is astounding.
The Operation
The first step was three aerial applications of Brodifacoum rodent bait between June and August 2009.
Now, all remaining pests are being intensively targeted by trapping, hunting, the use of dogs and the localised use of other toxins. This will take up to two years.
For the latest on the restoration project see DOC's Project Update page.
Keeping the Islands Pest-free
The long-term success of this project will depend on everyone helping to prevent pests returning.
Anyone visiting Rangitoto and Motutapu will need to take precautions and undertake simple checks before they leave the mainland, as they do before visiting other pest-free islands such as Tiritiri Matangi and Motuihe.
- Check your boat, bags and equipment for stowaways before you leave the mainland.
- Check you gear, especially footwear, for seeds and soil.
- Recreational boat owners should look for rodent and ant signs before departure and owners of large boats should keep traps or rodent bait on board.
- Land only during the day - rodents are more active at night.
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