Mr Coker said an average of 70,000 native birds were killed by pests in New Zealand every night, with about 260 million killed a year.
"The numbers are astronomical," Mr Coker said.
"I think a lot of people don't realise this is happening," he said. "That's because they can't see it, they can't see the damage that's been done in our forests and environment."
Mr Coker said stoats were among the worst predators of native birdlife in the area because of their aggressive nature and ability to climb.
"Stoats, like ferrets, will kill just for the sake of killing.
"Even if they have had enough to eat, it's in their nature, a kind of bloodlust, to kill what's in front of them," he said.
"The damage they are doing to our native species is enormous. New Zealand is such a unique country with such unique and wonderful native wildlife.
"We need to do everything we can to protect that and I think we have an obligation to do so." He encouraged Rotorua residents to set rat traps in their backyards and people living in rural areas to set stoat and ferret traps that were pet friendly.