Protecting taonga species Te tautiaki i ngā momo taonga koiora - PREDATOR RESPONSE TE RONGOĀ 2021 - DOC
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PREDATOR RESPONSE TE RONGOĀ Protecting taonga species Te tautiaki i ngā momo taonga koiora 2021
THE PROBLEM – TE RARURARU
The native wildlife of Aotearoa
and the places they live are taonga (treasures).
We need to protect them.
Twenty-five million native birds are killed increase when they are not controlled.
each year by possums, stoats, rats and DOC must continue its long-term predator
other predators.1 control programme to prevent the decline
of native species.
Tiakina Ngā Manu is the Department of
Conservation’s (DOC) national programme With the removal of the pressure to
to protect threatened native species from respond to mast conditions, DOC is able
predators on public conservation land. to return to sites nationally to protect
It is part of the national Predator Free taonga species and their habitats.
2050 movement. Overall, we aim to reduce predators
in approximately 500,000 ha of public
No beech mast or heavy seeding is
conservation land to give native species
predicted for 2020/2021, however, rat,
a chance to breed.
stoat and possum numbers continue to
Predator SUMMER
plague cycle When forest trees
flower heavily, a lot of
seed is produced
AUTUMN
When seed is abundant,
the rodent population
increases rapidly
WINTER
Stoats feed on
abundant rodents
SUMMER ONWARDS SPRING
Stoat numbers explode When the seed rots or germinates,
and they also turn plagues of starving rats turn to bird
to birds for food eggs and nestlings
1
John Innes, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.
Treasure for the future
Hei taonga mā ngā
whakatupuranga
A fundamental part of DOC’s long-term
approach is to work closely with iwi,
hapū and whānau.
Iwi-led initiatives to improve the health
of the ngahere (forests), including
predator control on lands over which
they are kaitiaki (guardians), are also
supported by DOC.
Pekapeka-tou-poto / short-tailed bat
Threat status:
Northern: In serious trouble
Central: In some trouble
Southern: In some trouble
Population: More than 10,000
Distribution: orth Island: Restricted to two isolated populations in northern
N
North Island and patchy across central North Island. Restricted to
Fiordland and Codfish Island /Whenua Hou in the South Island.
%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
With predator control national Without predator control national
increase of 9% annually decrease of 5% annually
Bat on ground among dactylanthus buds. Photo: David Mudge
RESPONSE – TE RONGOĀ
Controlling predators
The Department of Conservation uses a range of pest-control tools to suit particular
needs. Trapping and other ground-based predator control methods play an important
part in ongoing control in accessible areas, but cannot be easily scaled up to respond
rapidly to immediate pest threats. Biodegradable 1080 is applied by air over large areas
or rugged terrain to suppress rats, stoats and possums.
Ground control
Conventional and self-resetting traps and bait stations are used for longer term
and localised suppression of predator populations in accessible areas.
Conventional traps Bait stations Self-resetting traps
Aerial 1080
1080 is biodegradable,
breaks down quickly in the 4–6 baits are dropped
environment and does not in an area the size of a
leave permanent residues in tennis court.
water, soil, plants or animals. Without the need to
The active component occurs respond to a mast this
naturally in many plants in year, Tiakina Ngā Manu
Australia, South America and is focused on protecting
Africa as a defence against vulnerable sites and
browsing animals. species across the country.
North Island kōkako
Threat status:
In some trouble
Population: 2000 pairs
Distribution: North Island native forests
sporadic predator control regular predator control
100 pairs 300 pairs 2000 pairs
1989 1999 2020
More than 600 kiwi have
been monitored during
aerial 1080 operations since
1990. Not one kiwi has died
as a result of 1080.
Photo: Rod Morris
DELIVERY – TE WHAKATINANA
Taonga species under threat
The highlighted areas are
home to some of Aotearoa
New Zealand's most
vulnerable native species.
These species and their kōkako
habitats need protection pekapeka/bat kiwi
from introduced predators. snail whio/blue duck
kiwi pekapeka/bat
titipounamu/rifleman kākā
Indicative areas of species under most threat
National park
kākā
whio/blue duck
Conservation park
kiwi
Other public conservation land
pekapeka/bat
toutouwai/robin
snail
pīwauwau/rock wren
kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet
whio/blue duck
kiwi kākā
toutouwai/robin titipounamu/rifleman
kea pōpokotea/whitehead
kākā
kea
mohua/yellowhead
pīwauwau/rock wren
kākā
kiwi
tūturiwhatu/
whio/blue duck
southern NZ dotterel
Whio Kākā
Photo: Herb Christophers Photo: Herb Christophers
Status In serious trouble Status: North Island: In some trouble
South Island: In serious trouble
Population:
Breeding population unlikely to
be more than 1000 pairs Population: >10,000
Distribution: Forested headwater catchments Distribution: Large forested areas in the
along the ranges of both islands. North and South Islands.
Kea Brown kiwi
Photo: Sabine Bernert Photo: Rod Morris
Status: In serious trouble Status: In serious trouble
Population: 3000– 5000 Population: Approximately 25,000
Distribution: Alpine and forested environments of Distribution: Lowland and coastal native forest and
the South Island. subalpine areas of the North Island.
Powelliphanta snails Tūturiwhatu/southern NZ dotterel
Photo: Kath Walker Photo: James Reardon
Status: In serious trouble Status: In serious trouble
Population: Declining Population: 173 individuals
Distribution: Widely but sparsely spread Distribution: Remnant breeding population on
throughout western South Island Rakiura/Stewart Island.
and lower North Island.
OUTCOME – TUKUNGA IHO
Long-term monitoring
An example: doubling native bird numbers
in the Landsborough valley
For 23 years, our ‘bird counters’ have researched how bird life
in the South Westland’s remote Landsborough valley responds
to sustained predator control.
The results of this painstaking work show This outcome shows that where we protect
that native bird numbers have more than taonga species against possums, rats and
doubled since predator control began. stoats over whole valleys and forests, we
Seven of the 13 taonga species in the can turn their fortunes around.
valley have increased and four remain
This progress bodes well as we work
stable. One of the most threatened birds,
towards a predator free Aotearoa
the mohua/yellowhead, has gone from
New Zealand.
14 birds in the survey area to 485 birds
at the last count in November 2020.
Mohua/yellowhead. Photo: Leon Berard Titipounamu/rifleman. Photo: DOC Miromiro/tomtit. Photo: Brent Beaven
For more information on DOC’s planning for predator control This publication is produced using
paper sourced from well-managed,
this year, visit www.doc.govt.nz/tiakina-nga-manu
renewable and legally logged forests.
For more information on Predator Free 2050:
www.doc.govt.nz/pf2050
Front cover: Pekapeka-tou-poto/short-tailed bat. Photo: David Mudge
Published by: Department of Conservation, PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143
R196077
Editing and design: Creative Services, Department of Conservation
March 2021
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