Order (or download) a copy of this comprehensive 80-page booklet for all the best practice advice you need for effective predator control in your community.
To safeguard Aotearoa New Zealand’s precious native species, the Department of Conservation (DOC) have crafted the ‘Predator Free 2050 Practical Guide to Trapping’ with contributions from the Predator Free New Zealand Trust (including our predator control calendar and trapping checklist).
This comprehensive manual is designed to bolster your efforts in predator control. At its core, this guide offers best-practice trapping techniques tailored for mustelids (stoats, ferrets, and weasels), rats, and possums – key threats to our unique and highly vulnerable taonga species.
The guide begins by helping you identify your target predator and understand its natural behaviour and crucial insights that inform effective trapping strategies. From selecting the appropriate traps and bait to optimising the placement of your trap network, each aspect is carefully outlined to maximise efficiency and minimise unintended impacts.
Beyond trapping mechanics, the guide underscores the significance of pre- and post-predator control monitoring. Monitoring outcomes and results allows for ongoing assessment of the program’s effectiveness and enables adaptive management practices. It’s important to keep track of the species we’re trying to protect and those we’re trying to control or remove. By monitoring them, we can understand the ecological impacts of our conservation efforts more comprehensively.
By implementing these proven techniques, you can take meaningful strides toward mitigating the threats posed by invasive predators and safeguarding our native flora and fauna, helping to return the voices of insects, bats, reptiles and birds back to our forests, farmland, towns and cities.
You can order the booklet from our shop (minimum quantity of 2 for rural delivery) or download it (PDF, 5.5 MB) from our friends at the Department of Conservation for free.
