Student takes 1st and 2nd place in Northland predator trap design competition

Xeryus Wilson's award winning predator trap.

Whangārei student Xeryus Wilson takes his predator control seriously.

So much so the Matarau School student has won first and second place in the Kiwi North 2018 Predator Trap Design Competition.

Xeryus Wilson, a Year 7 Matarau School student, impressed the judges with his innovative trap designs, to take the top two places in the second year of the competition run by Kiwi North with his "Capture the Rat" and "Smarter Predator Trap" entries.

He was presented with his prize at the Matarau School assembly on Wednesday by Kiwi Coast Coordinator Ngaire Sullivan and Kiwi North Educator Shirley Peterson.

Sullivan congratulated Xeryus on his award-winning designs.

"Trap designs from all over Northland were entered into this year's competition. Our three judges were experienced professional predator trappers from Bream Head Conservation Trust, Pukenui Western Hills Forest Trust and the Kiwi Link Community Pest Control Area,'' she said.

''The judges commented on the massive leap in trap innovations this year and were really impressed with the calibre of entries. Xeryus' 'Capture the Rat' design won first place and his 'Smarter Predator Trap' won second place. Both designs wowed the judges with the impressive thinking, technological innovation and humane kill aspects of the traps."

Kiwi Coast sponsored the competition for the second year running, and presented Xeryus with a voucher for $500 worth of pest control products. Bunnings sponsored the second prize of a $50 Bunnings Voucher and gift vouchers for two other high school finalists: Glen Keogh and Jack Haverkort.

Competition organiser Shirley Peterson said: ''It's amazing to see young minds grappling with pest control technology and using their imaginative engineering skills to come up with fresh ideas that may be put to use in the field to help us reach the aspirational goal of a predator free New Zealand."