Predator Free Te Horo Beach's David Walshaw with a trap.
Predator Free Te Horo Beach's David Walshaw with a trap.
Two Kāpiti-based predator-free groups have received funding from Predator Free New Zealand for their respective areas.
Both groups awarded money - Predator Free Raumati and Predator Free Te Horo Beach - were relatively new, starting up within the last year.
Predator Free New Zealand Trust community funding adviser JanineHearn said community groups that applied for funding could receive up to $5000 to buy humane traps, tunnels or materials.
The Raumati-based group was awarded the full $5000, and the Te Horo Beach-based group received $4000.
Predator Free Raumati’s treasurer Sue Harris said the group was ecstatic to have been granted $5000.
She said Predator Free Raumati was a newly-formed group of residents who intended to bring the community together to address rat and predator numbers across the area.
A predator trap.
“We will be taking active steps to manage pests locally and to record catches. We will also be focused on educating, encouraging, co-ordinating and supporting those who are keen to cut the numbers of rats and other rodents in our area.”
The group, which is an umbrella group of the Raumati South Residents Association, will also make and sell traps, and keep records of those using traps to collect data on their catches.
“We will also help those unable to empty their own traps with a team of trap rodent collectors.”
Harris said there were an estimated 5000 households in Raumati, which covers the area from the northern border of Queen Elizabeth Park all the way to Wharemauku Rd.
She said Predator Free Raumati planned to target all 5000 households but expected to engage only 1000 of them.
“Some already have traps, so these will be encouraged to join our project, especially for the recording of numbers caught.”
Predator Free Te Horo Beach’s David Walshaw said receiving the funding was great – and despite the group only being in existence for a month or two it had great support from Predator Free New Zealand.
Eradicating predators such as rats and stoats means native birds like kākā can return to the area.
Walshaw said the group bought 100 t-rex kill traps and tunnels which would be distributed from May 11 to locals who were willing to monitor them and record their catches.
The new traps mean that slightly less than one in three houses in Te Horo Beach will have traps.
Walshaw said there was a huge rat problem in Te Horo Beach, with people having issues with rats eating into things – and some people had even had fires started by rats gnawing wires.
“We see so many rats and stoats around this area, and a lot of people have seen a reduction in birds.
“It’s good for the community to be working on this together.”
Hearn said Predator Free’s ultimate goal was to have a trap in every fifth backyard across New Zealand but backyard trapping was already paying off in a “visible and motivational” way in many places around the country.
“Wildlife is returning to the suburbs, and it enhances neighbourhoods and builds a sense of community.”
