Stories and research

  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Stories and research
Capitalise on possums social behaviour and create a possum nightclub to knock down numbers in breeding season. Image credit: PFNZ

Give your birdlife a boost and create a possum nightclub

A possum nightclub might sound like a conservation nightmare, but it’s a great way to give your birdlife a helping hand. Possums breed in March…

Yesterday, today and tomorrow: brilliant, badass women of conservation

Yesterday, today and tomorrow: brilliant, badass women of conservation

We have women to thank for Abel Tasman National Park, takahē rediscovery and AI traps, yet often women are invisible in recorded history. Today, we…

Kakaruwai (South Island robin) perched on a boot.

Are curious and friendly robins losing their personalities due to introduced predators?

Robins are one of our most charming daredevils, known for coming close to humans in the bush and even hopping onto boots while foraging for…

A predator proof fence on a tropical island

Island time: from the Caribbean to the Chathams

Predator Free Apprentice Cam Maclean’s big OE looked slightly different from the classic Kiwi tradition. Instead of slinging pints in a UK pub or teaching…

Re-baiting and re-setting a trap.

Check it out: our new trap checklist

Sometimes, when running a trap line or training new volunteers, having a set of reminders is useful. Follow our checklist to ensure effectiveness, maintain hygiene…

Comic: the predator free difference for lizards

Comic: the predator free difference for lizards

This comic comes to you from illustrator Andrew James, explaining this study into the difference predator control has for geckos and skinks inside a sanctuary…

A ferret superimposed on a photo of a gannet colony on cliffs overlooking the ocean

Three chicks dead: teamwork catches Muriwai ferret 

A ferret sniffing around petrel burrows and a gannet colony on the west coast of Auckland ignited a race against time to protect the seabirds.…

Aerial view of Hamilton including the Waikato river

Restoring nature in the heart of Hamilton

Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) may be renowned for its beautiful gardens, but the city holds a surprising truth – much of its greenery is introduced plantlife, not…

Native chippy pinchers: 5 surprising facts about our native gulls

Native chippy pinchers: 5 surprising facts about our native gulls

What comes to mind when you think of a gull? Noisy seaside neighbours? Picnic scavengers? How about declining species? How much do you know about…

Jenilee checks an AT220 trap.

Inside out: Predator Free Apprentice leaves the nest

Nearly one in four young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand are suffering from high levels of anxiety, fatigue and depression. Jenilee Hill is proud to…

Mokomoko Manor: how to create your own lizard garden

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how Holly Neill created her own Mokomoko Manor, a haven where multiple skink buddies now live their best lives in…

Kererū snacking on summer fruits

Hatch a plan: 5 ways to kick off your predator free summer

Incorporating predator free activities into your summer is fun and fulfilling, but don’t just take our word for it. Here are five ideas that will…

A juvenile kārearea (NZ falcon) inspects a hedgehog in a Whākatane backyard.

5 super cool backyard wildlife encounters of 2023

An entirely subjective and contestable compilation of wonderful wildlife encounters in 2023 — all unfolding right in people’s gardens. Through the combined efforts of predator…

Possum trapped inside a Tāwhiti Smart Cage. A chewed up lemon in the foreground.

Smarter not harder: the trap that adds clever to conservation

Traditional pest-trapping methods weren’t working. Predator Free Franklin spearheaded the creation of Tāwhiti Smart Cage – a cutting-edge solution to the district’s challenging environment. This lemon-snacking…

An archey's frog on a fern

A glimmer of hope for Archey’s frog survival in Waikato

Archey’s frogs survived the comet that decimated the dinosaurs – but this walnut-sized pekeketua (frog) is close to extinction on our watch. Could rat control…