Island Bay to CBD eradication

Why are we doing this?

An estimated 68,000 native birds are killed in New Zealand by introduced predators every night.

Our goal is to make Wellington a safe place for our tui, kererū, kākā, kākāriki, geckos and other native animals. A safe place for native animals is free of pest animals such as rats, possums, stoats and weasels.

Predator Free Wellington has successfully developed a proof of concept for urban eradication on the Miramar Peninsula. The next stage of our project will see us expand from the coast at Island Bay through to the CBD and Wellington Harbour.

We can then continue rolling out the eradication in phases until we reach the city boundary at Porirua.

How big is the phase 2 area?

To give you an idea of scale, the Miramar Peninsula eradication covered an area which is home to around 20,000 people and required 3,000 individual permissions from homeowners, business owners and other stakeholders to implement and service the eradication grid over six months. The second phase involves 19 suburbs - from Kilbirnie around to Owhiro Bay and up through to the CBD and is an area that is home to approximately 60,000 people.

Before we start installing the devices on the ground, we’ll spend about six months raising awareness and seeking permissions from 7,500 households to have a trap/bait station in their backyard.

How are we going to do this?

Becoming predator free is a team effort and we need the community to work with us to achieve our goal of being predator free.

The method will be similar to what we used on the Miramar Peninsula. Bait stations and traps will be on private property, in bush reserves, parks, coastal and commercial areas. Our team will check these regularly.

TIMELINE

November 2020 -April 2021 – our team are out in the community, seeking permission to have traps and bait stations on private property.

January 2021 - April 2021 – traps and bait stations will be placed.

June 2021 – start of operation, weekly bait station and traps checks

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will it cost me anything?

No, this service is totally free.

Is it safe for my pet/kids?

The bait will be carefully placed in locked bait stations that have been secured to the ground. The bait stations will keep the bait secure and will require a key to get to the bait.

The bait stations are designed to prevent children and/or pet access. In the very unlikely event that a pet manages to rip open a bait station or if you think your pet may be ill from eating poisoned rats or bait please seek advice from a vet immediately. Vitamin K is an effective antidote.

We already have a trap, why do we need one of these?

An eradication project is different from what has been done before - that is suppressing numbers through trapping. To get the numbers down to zero we will be aiming to place bait stations on a 50m x 50m grid and traps on 100m x 100m grid across the entire project area. This is within the home rage of every rat, and means they have 100% chance of coming across one of these devices. These traps and bait stations will be checked by our team weekly. If you already have a trap, please keep using this in addition to our traps and bait stations, the more the better!

There are no rats here, why do we need one of these?

The local predator free communities have done a fantastic job of getting the rat numbers down for us. In fact, they’ve caught thousands of rats!

What methods are you using?

To achieve the vision of a predator free Wellington we are using a mix of methods, including traps and bait stations.

To access all rat, stoat and weasel home ranges, we will be aiming to place bait stations on a 50m x 50m grid and traps on 100m x 100m grid across the entire peninsula. These traps and bait stations will be checked by our team weekly.

This is not a poison drop, bait will be carefully placed in locked bait stations minimising any risks. The bait stations will require a key to get to the bait.

We will also be trialling new technology to see what other methods will help us.

Will it cost us anything?

It is free of charge, all we need is your permission to have a trap or bait station on your property.

Predator Free Wellington is supported by NEXT Foundation, Wellington City Council, Greater Regional Wellington Council and Predator Free 2050 Ltd.

Do I need to do anything?

Our team will do all the work and will check your traps and bait stations weekly.

How often will you check it?

Traps and bait stations will be checked weekly by our team.

Where on the property will it go?

In consultation with each resident, our team will decide on the best location for the traps and bait stations.

To access all rat, stoat and weasel habitats, we will be aiming to place bait stations on a 50m x 50m grid and traps on 100m x 100m grid across the entire peninsula.

Are other species affected? (hedgehogs, mice, pest weeds etc)

We are focusing on rats, possums, stoats and weasels as these are said to have the greatest impact on native biodiversity and it also ensures we are aligning with the Predator Free 2050 initiative.

We also encourage residents to be responsible pet owners.

How humane is the eradication project?

When choosing our methods for eradication, we have prioritised native wildlife and pets over introduced predators. Our aim is to do this eradication once so we can limit the use of toxins in the future, we will be rat, possum stoat and weasel free – allowing our native biodiversity to thrive.

The traps we are using meet the NAWAC (National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee) standards. We chose brodifacoum as our preferred bait, it will be locked in bait stations and it is the safest poison for pets as there is an easy antidote available using Vitamin K.

Get in touch: email: Enable JavaScript to view protected content. tel: 0800norats (0800667287)