This month we have continued to cut and install new bait station and trap lines in area four, scuttled around on our hands and knees surveying the Placostylus snail population, cut ourselves to shreds pursuing Jules the very elusive Kiwi, replaced old traps with new, surveyed for Cook’s Petrel, sprayed dune weeds and talked to community groups and those at the spring festival about our operation.
I am very happy to report that our intense predator control operation still appears to be working exceptionally well as all the rangers are noticing very little sign of predators around the reserve at the moment. I do believe this is also in part due to the fantastic work our neighbours and surrounding community conservation groups are doing controlling pests also. It really is a very good feeling to be part of this amazing community working toward the restoration of our ecological district. We must not become complacent however as fluctuations in pest populations are a constant and very real threat.
Read the October 2014 Rangers Report (4MB pdf) for more details on this and other stories.