 |
Ship
rat
in
a
fantail
nest
|
The
restoration
of
wildlife
is
only
possible
with
the
permanent
eradication
of
animal
pests
from
the
forest
or
ongoing
control
at
very
low
levels.
At
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce,
the
wildlife
will
be
protected
by
the
ongoing
control
of
pests
using
ground
control
techniques.
Since
2003
the
Pukaha
pest
control
team
has
reduced
(deleted
another
bit)
pests
to
very
low
levels,
allowing
the
reintroduction
of
kiwi
and
kokako
and
protecting
nests
and
young
of
the
kaka
reintroduced
into
the
forest
in
1996.
Over
100
kilometres
of
tracks
have
been
cut
within
the
reserve,
along
which
DOC
has
laid
rat-traps
every
50
metres
and
bait
stations
every
100
metres.
Close
to
1000
traps
have
been
laid
by
Greater
Wellington
and
Horizons
Regional
Councils
and
are
checked
and
re-baited
regularly.
Pest
control
within
the
Reserve
has
been
funded
primarily
through
sponsorship
and
the
Department
of
Conservation.
Regional
Council
pest
control
has
been
achieved
through
direct
funding
from
Greater
Wellington
and
from
Regional
Initiatives
funding
from
Horizons
Regional
Council.The
success
of
the
pest
control
project
has
enabled
the
re-introduction
of
kokako
and
kiwi
into
the
forest.
Kokako
and
kiwi
have
been
extinct
from
the
area
for
at
least
fifty
and
one
hundred
years
respectively.
The
pest
control
programme
Objectives
-
Eradicate
(where
feasible)
and
control
(where
necessary)
animal
pests
to
maintain
healthy
forest
structure,
function
and
processes.
-
Maintain
low
pest
numbers
to
enable
healthy
forest
bird,
lizard,
bat
and
invertebrate
communities.
Tasks
- Establish
a
network
of
pest
control
access
tracks
throughout
the
forest.
- Co-ordinate
with
DOC,
Regional
Councils
and
private
land
owners
to
eradicate/control
pests;
Maintain
goat
densities
at
very
low
levels
-
Eradicate
goats
from
Pukaha
by
June
2006
and
subsequently
exclude
goats;
-
Exclude
deer
and
pigs
from
Pukaha;
-
Boundary
fencing
maintained
to
a
standard
that
totally
excludes
stock
from
Pukaha;
-
Control
possums
within
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
and
adjoining
buffer
to
protect
forest
health
and
forest
bird
populations;
-
Control
rats
within
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
and
adjoining
buffer
to
maintain
forest
bird
populations;
-
Control
stoats
within
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
and
adjoining
buffer
to
maintain
kiwi,
and
other
forest
bird
populations.
Rats
The
pests
in
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
Pest
control
targets
several
animal
pest
species.
-
Possums
-
Rats(both
ship
and
norway
rat
are
present)
- Mustelids
(Stoats,
weasels
and
ferrets)
-
Feral
cats
-
Goats
| |
Pest
Control
Area
|
|
-Total
area
under
sustained
pest
control
is
4,214
hectares
-Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
(Department
of
Conservation)-
942
hectares
-Horizons
MW
regional
council
-
1049
hectares
-Greater
Wellington
regional
council
-
2,223
hectares
|
| See
map
of
restoration
zones
|
Possums
Help
make
a
difference.
“Sponsor
a
hectare”
of
pest
control
in
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce.
For
$25.00
per
hectare
annually,
you
can
support
the
forest
restoration
project.
To
find
out
more,
here…. |
Prior
to
the
commencement
of
the
restoration
project,
possums
were
controlled
by
regional
councils
to
reduce
the
incidence
of
Bovine
Tuberculosis
(Tb)
in
cattle.
The
aim
of
the
Greater
Wellington
and
Horizons
MW
regional
council
Bovine
(Tb)
Vector
Control
Operations
is
to
reduce
the
incidence
of
Bovine
Tuberculosis
in
farmed
cattle
and
deer
herds.
Possums
can
become
infected
with
Tb
and
spread
it
to
farm
stock
like
cattle
and
deer
by
discharging
tuberculosis
bacteria.
If
Tb
is
not
controlled,
it
could
put
at
risk
our
multi-billion
dollar
export
markets
for
beef,
deer
and
dairy
products.
The
cost
of
trade
barriers
and
restricted
export
markets
for
our
primary
produce
would
be
huge.
To
find
out
more
about
TB
control...
The
reduction
of
possums
by
the
regional
councils
has
been
beneficial
to
the
regeneration
of
native
flora
that
possums
have
devastated
over
many
years
but
their
work
was
not
intensive
enough
to
have
caused
a
significant
improvement
in
the
numbers
of
native
wildlife.
More
about
the
pest
control
in
the
buffer
zone..
The
mortality
of
the
massive
rata
trees
in
the
forest
are
thought
to
be
caused
by
possum
browsing
(L
Pracy
pers
com,.
2000).
Possum
diet
includes
key
native
tree
and
plant
species
that
are
essential
for
our
native
wildlife
to
survive.
Five
finger,
tree
fuchsia,
lacebark,
totara
and
others
have
been
heavily
browsed
in
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest,
reducing
the
habitat
for
native
wildlife
by
removing
foliage,
flowers
and
fruit
at
crucial
times.
At
the
National
Wildlife
Centre,
three
threatened
plant
species
have
been
planted
to
aid
their
conservation.
To
read
more
click.....
The
endangered
native
plant,
Dactylanthus,
a
completely
parasitic
plant,
has
been
recently
found
growing
in
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce.
Dactylanthus
produce
huge
amounts
of
nectar
and
their
flowers
are
are
highly
preferred
by
possums.
Possums
actively
seek
dactylanthus
plants
and
severely
browse
their
flowers
so
that
they
prevent
its
regeneration.
Possums
have
also
been
shown
to
prey
on
the
eggs
and
newly
hatched
chicks
of
several
native
birds.
This
includes
the
kokako
and
kaka.
Possums
also
eat
many
insects
which
reduce
their
availability
for
insect
eating
birds.
The
main
techniques
for
controlling
possums
are
the
use
of
toxic
baits
in
the
bait
station
and
trapping.
Both
these
methods
have
been
used
at
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce.
The
control
operation
aims
to
reduce
possums
to
very
low
levels
and
to
ensure
that
their
densities
do
not
rise
above
a
certain
level
where
they
are
known
to
inhibit
nesting
success
of
vulnerable
birds.
Since
the
commencement
of
the
ground
based
possum
control
by
DoC
in
2003,
possums
have
been
kept
to
very
low
levels.
In
order
to
determine
if
target
pest
densities
have
been
achieved,
monitoring
is
undertaken
at
least
twice
a
year.
The
method
used
is
the
Residual
Trap
Catch
assessment
method
(RTC),
which
measures
the
percentage
of
possums
caught,
relative
to
total
trapping.
eg
100
traps
over
3
nights
gives
a
total
of
300
trap
nights.
The
total
possums
caught
are
calculated
as
a
percentage
of
the
total
trap
nights.
For
example
3
possums
caught
by
100
traps
over
3
nights
gives
an
RTC
of
1%.
Successful
breeding
of
kokako
requires
an
RTC
of
less
than
5%
.
Target
results
for
the
operation
are
set
at
2%.
The
following
graph
illustrates
the
change
in
possum
density
as
a
result
of
periodic
pest
control.
This
graph
shows
that
from
1995
(before
the
forest
restoration),
the
possum
density
has
generally
decreased
as
a
result
of
possum
control
undertaken
by
the
Greater
Wellington
regional
council
to
reduce
Bovine
TB
in
cattle.(possums
are
a
vector
of
TB).
TB
possum
control
was
undertaken
at
approximately
3
yearly
intervals,
and
the
results
are
illustrated
in
the
1999
and
early
2003
graph
results.
After
intensive
possum
control
commenced
in
late
2003,
the
RTC
for
possums
has
been
kept
at
a
very
low
level.
(<
2
percent
RTC)
Trends
in
possum
RTC
over
the
last
10
years
as
a
result
of
regional
council
and
DoC
possum
control
effort.
| |
|
|
| |
|
Trends
in
possum
RTC
over
the
last
10
years
as
a
result
of
regional
council
and
DoC
possum
control
effort.
|
|
|
Rats
Rats
are
present
throughout
all
of
Pukaha
all
year
round
at
varying
densities.
The
predominant
species
of
rat
is
the
ship
rat.
Rats
are
devastating
predators
of
the
nests
of
many
species
of
bird
and
are
hard
to
control
because
they
have
a
very
high
reproductive
rate.
The
graph
below
is
similar
to
the
one
shown
above
for
possums.
The
trend
in
measure
rat
density
is
graphed
over
the
last
three
years
of
restoration
effort.
The
method
used
to
assess
rat
density
is
by
using
tracking
tunnels.
These
tunnels
are
set
along
standard
lines
and
for
one
night
are
baited
with
peanut
butter.
Food
colouring
is
placed
on
a
sponge
pad
and
the
animals'
footrpints
are
recorded
on
blotting
paper
inside
the
tunnel.
A
sample
of
eight
lines,
each
of
ten
tunnels
is
assessed,
to
obtain
a
rat
density
indicies,
which,
as
with
the
possum
index,
is
expressed
as
a
percentage
figure,
in
this
case
the
percentage
of
tunnels
tracked.
For
example
one
tunnel
tracked
of
eighty
set
gives
a
tracking
index
of
1.25%.
Rat
control
is
undertaken
to
avoid
population
increases
that
occur
in
early
summer
by
killing
the
rats
while
they
are
still
at
low
levels
toward
the
end
of
winter
or
in
early
spring.
This
is
to
ensure
that
rats
are
reduced
to
lowest
possible
level
at
the
start
of
the
bird
breeding
season.
In
the
graph
below,
rat
density
was
assessed
prior
to
the
first
major
rat
control
operation.
The
density
index
was
approximately
30
percent.
Following
the
control
operation,
the
density
was
reduced
to
1.25
percent.
The
following
year,
rats
had
built
up
in
density
and
were
(deleted
a
bit)
again
reduced
to
a
very
low
level.
This
schedule
of
rat
control
ensures
that
key
bird
species
will
thrive
during
the
breeding
season,
a
time
that
their
eggs
and
chicks
are
most
vulnerable.
| |
|
|
| |
|
Graph
of
trends
in
rat
density
over
two
years
of
rat
control,
showing
changes
in
density
following
control
effort.
|
|
|
Mustelids
The
most
widespread
mustelid
present
at
Pukaha
is
the
stoat,
although
ferrets
and
weasel
are
also
present.
Stoats
predominantly
prey
upon
rats
but
they
can
be
a
significant
predator
of
birds,
especially
those
species
that
roost
or
nest
in
cavities,
either
in
trees
or
on
the
ground.
Stoats
are
key
predators
of
both
kiwi
and
kaka.
With
all
these
predators,
the
true
tragedy
is
that
native
birds
are
not
a
key
part
of
their
diet.
Ship
rats
and
possums
are
both
generalist
feeders,
predominantly
eating
foliage
and
fruit,
whle
the
main
prey
of
stoats
in
the
bush
is
the
rat.
These
animals
can
exterminate
entire
populations
of
native
birds
without
suffering
a
reduction
in
their
own
diet.
Goats
Goats
were
one
of
the
first
pests
targeted
for
removal
from
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest.
Goat
densities
were
high
in
the
1960s,
and
the
commencement
of
goat
culling
by
the
New
Zealand
Forest
Service
saw
a
dramatic
reduction
in
the
goat
population.
Trained
hunting
dogs
are
used
to
find
goats
for
the
hunters
to
shoot.
Without
these
dogs,
it
would
not
have
been
possible
to
have
reduced
the
goat
population
adequately.
Today,
there
are
still
a
very
small
number
of
goats
present
in
the
forest.
The
technique
to
get
rid
of
the
last
goats
from
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
will
utilize
radio
transmitters
placed
on
captured
goats
(called
"Judas
goats").
The
goat
is
released
back
into
the
forest,
and
tracked
by
hunters
on
foot,
or
using
a
helicopter.
As
goats
are
inclined
to
gather
in
herds,
the
released
goat
is
expected
to
find
other
wild
goats
and
the
hunters
can
pin
point
the
location
using
a
Geographic
Positioning
System
(GPS
)
and
destroy
all
goats
encountered
(except
the
one
with
the
radio
transmitter).
Hopefully
this
will
see
the
last
goat
removed
from
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
in
the
near
future.
To
read
more
about
pest
control
by
the
Department
of
Conservation,
click….
Domestic
Stock
The
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
was
once
heavily
browsed
by
domestic
stock,
before
the
forest
was
protected
as
a
State
Forest.
Some
incursion
by
stock
into
the
forest
occasionally
occurs,
and
DOC
is
progressively
repairing
the
boundary
fences,
along
with
the
help
of
neighbouring
land
owners.
Top
Pest
control
infrastructure
The
pest
control
operation
at
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
is
based
on
a
network
of
over
100
kilometres
of
track
to
facilitate
access
for
pest
control
work
and
provide
a
framework
that
allows
bait
stations
to
be
placed
at
regular
spacings
so
that
all
the
forest
is
covered
at
an
even
level.
These
tracks
were
cut
through
the
forest
along
the
contours
at
approximately
100
metres
apart.
There
are
also
tracks
on
major
spurs.
Along
these
tracks,
rat-traps
have
been
laid
every
50
metres,
bait
stations
every
100
metres
and
mustelid
traps
every
200m.
The
track
construction
involved
a
team
of
5
people,
(a
supervisor
and
four
workers).
This
work
was
funded
partly
by
the
government
department,
Work
and
Income
New
Zealand,
under
its
Task
Force
Green
scheme.
Preference
for
this
work
has
been
given
to
people
from
the
Rangitaane
o
Wairarapa
iwi
where
they
were
available.
It
took
about
fifteen
months
to
complete
the
track
network.
As
Pukaha
is
in
mountainous
forested
terrain,
close
to
the
Tararua
Ranges
with
high
rainfall,
strong
winds
and
thick
bush
to
move
through,
work
conditions
are
often
harsh
and
work
progress
is
difficult.
The
team
also
need
to
periodically
clear
windfalls
and
re-growth
from
the
tracks.
The
track
network
requires
ongoing
effort
by
the
team
to
clear
windfalls
and
regrowth
Pest
control
surrounding
Pukaha
Pest
control
is
being
carried
out
in
an
area
surrounding
Pukaha
and
provides
a
buffer
for
the
intensive
pest
control
that
is
being
carried
out
at
Pukaha.
Possum
control
to
manage
Tb
in
domestic
livestock
is
funded
by
the
Animal
Health
Board.
This
is
reducing
the
chances
of
reinfestation
into
Pukaha.
In
addition
to
this
work
the
two
regional
councils,
Greater
Wellington
and
Horizons
Regional
Councils
are
specifically
targeting
predators
in
the
buffer
area.
Close
to
1,000
traps
have
been
laid
by
the
two
Councils
and
are
checked
and
re-baited
regularly.
Progress
to
date
For
two
years
now
possums
and
rats
have
been
controlled
by
an
annual
pulse
of
pesticide
that
has
reduced
these
pests
to
low
levels
and
provided
protection
for
nesting
birds
for
at
least
the
first
half
of
the
breeding
season.
Mustelids
have
been
controlled
for
12
months.
This
involves
checking
mustelid
kill
traps
at
monthly
intervals
for
six
months
and
two
weekly
at
for
the
remainder
of
the
year.
This
has
provided
protection
for
birds
throughout
the
year.
The
management
of
pests
at
these
levels
has
the
reintroduction
of
kiwi
and
kokako
and
fostered
the
survival
of
kaka
reintroduced
into
the
forest
eight
years
ago.
To
be
kept
up
to
date
with
the
restoration
project,
subscribe
to
our
regular
newsletter
here....
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