Insects get eaten too – so does predator control help grasshoppers?
Insects get eaten too. Scientists have reported that invertebrates have been found in 10-30% of cat guts and scats in the Mackenzie Basin, suggesting high…
Rat traps and weta hotels help wildlife at Hahei
On any one day over summer there can be 1500 holiday-makers resident at the Hahei Holiday Resort in the Coromandel. General Manager, Grant Kilby describes…
Rat genetics tracks invasion back through time
New Zealand researchers have been taking a closer look at the family histories of Man’s long-time travelling companion – the rat. Genealogy meets gene analysis…
Tamahunga Trappers look out for rare plants as well as wildlife
It’s not just native birds that the Tamahunga Trappers are keen to protect. There’s a native iris growing in their reserve that isn’t found anywhere…
Loss of wetlands continues
It’s a world-wide trend and New Zealand is not immune. Wetlands are being lost – 90% of New Zealand’s wetlands have disappeared since European settlement.…
PekaPeka bird feeder is a winner for its Dunedin designers
Harvey Penfold is a product design student, in his final year at Otago Polytech, Tahu Mackenzie is LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom) Education Officer…
Community groups under the microscope
Has your community group identified specific longterm conservation goals? What outcomes do you expect to see from the many hours of volunteer work that your…
Tree-climbing habits of predators studied
Many of NZ’s introduced mammal predators – including house mice – are good at climbing trees. To understand the impact they have on tree-nesting birds…
Old forest remnant shows its worth
Sometimes ‘old’ just can’t be beat! That certainly seems to be the case for old forest remnants, at least as far as our indigenous insects…
Ruakuri’s unique karst landscape benefits from zero rat density
The Ruakuri Scenic Reserve, which includes New Zealand’s internationally renowned Ruakuri Cave, is an epic example of cave and karst landscape and sanctuary to New…
Kea survival during aerial 1080 – identifying the risks
Predator control in kea habitat is mostly by aerial 1080 – and some kea are known to have died from eating the bait. It’s not…
Trials test feasibility of removing pigs, cats and mice from Auckland Island
Trials are in full swing down in the Southern Ocean exploring whether it’s possible to rid Auckland Island of its three remaining introduced predators –…
Lego kākāpō design needs 10,000 supporters
University student Hayden P. is a Lego enthusiast with a passion for New Zealand birds. If his latest Lego design – a kākāpō – reaches…
Blindness no big deal for Okarito wild kiwi
Most wild birds and animals don’t survive long if they go blind. Not so, our kiwi. The discovery of otherwise healthy, but blind wild kiwi…
Protection and accessibility are key goals for Wharariki Onetahua Restoration
The first time that 80 double-trap DOC 200s were set out at the Wharariki Onetahua Restoration site they caught 29 rats and 25 stoats! Some…
