EVENTS

Possum and Rat Operation Successful
December 2010 

The Trust’s annual possum and rat control operation is now all but complete, with some very good post-operational possum and rat indices recorded during the November 6-13 monitoring round. The rat tracking tunnels returned an index of 0% rat tracking, well below our target of 5%. The possum WaxTag bite mark index (BMI) was 8%, slightly higher than our target of 5%, but nonetheless a very good result. This level of possum and rat control will increase the breeding success of forest birds like kereru, tui and bellbird, and keep palatable forest tree species, especially northern rata, largely free of damaging possum browse. 

A quick re-cap of the baitstation filling:
September’s spring storm which brought high winds, rain, and a lot of fallen trees to the Rotorua area, also resulted in the postponement, by one week, of the first bait station fill, which went ahead successfully on the weekend of 25-26 September. The second bait station fill was completed the following weekend 02-03 October. This year we again used Feratox encapsulated cyanide to target possums, and pindone pellets in baitstations to target rats, but this time obtained permission for both toxins to be loaded together into the bait stations. The bait station crew generally reported dead possums at most bait stations during the 2^nd bait fill, but no dead wallabies. 

Between now and next September’s operation there is plenty to do – finalizing the operational report to go on the website and into DOC’s Pestlink database, having a debrief with the Trust, DOC, and BOPRC, deciding on methods for the next operation, and giving the baitstation and monitoring tracks a really good cleanup, so pest control and monitoring work can happen as easily and efficiently as possible. 

Thanks again to all those who have helped out to date, including Friends and Trustees of MNBRT, and an excellent group of Kaharoa Kokako Trust CSL holders who have turned out to fill bait stations and carry out monitoring, BOPRC for Care Group funding and technical and logistical support, and staff at DOC’s Rotorua Lakes Area Office.