On The Up: Rare geckos, kākāriki return to Bay of Islands hills after pest-control success

Pest control work has led to the discovery of the forest gecko (pictured) in Bay of Islands bush. The species has not previously been recorded in the area. Photo / Joel Knight, Committee Member of the New Zealand Herpetological Society NZHS Website.

Rare native geckos and kākāriki parrots are reappearing in the Bay of Islands thanks to a major pest control operation led by conservation group Bay Bush Action.

The group’s latest campaign across 1200ha of forest in the hills behind Waitangi, Paihia and Ōpua has dramatically reduced predator populations – specifically possums, rats, stoats and feral cats.

Trustee and volunteer Brad Windust said among the most significant outcomes is the rediscovery of the forest gecko, a species never previously recorded in the area.

“We’re seeing more of the beautiful velvet native Pacific and green geckos, but to find a forest gecko here is huge. These creatures are incredibly vulnerable to predators, so their presence is a powerful indicator that the forest is becoming safer and more diverse,” Windust said.

Remarkable too was the return of the kākāriki, small iridescent green parrots once wiped out on the mainland.

Bay Bush Action, Northland Regional Council and volunteer workers have eradicated so many predators from forest land around the Bay of Islands that native geckos, like this Northland green one, are becoming more common in the area. Photos / supplied

“We’ve started hearing them again,” Windust said.

“It’s extremely exciting. With predator numbers dropping, it’s possible they’ll start breeding here again. That’s a massive milestone.”

Bay Bush Action began in 2011 and has since scaled up its operations with support from the Jobs for Nature programme.

The group has removed more than 21,000 possums, nearly 48,000 rats, about 230 feral cats and hundreds of stoats and weasels.

Native wildlife such as native Pacific gecko and kohekohe flowers have made a comeback in Ōpua Forest.

Monitoring carried out using a nationwide standardised method shows pest numbers in the group’s activity areas are now down to just 1%. Anything below 5% is considered extremely low pest numbers.

Windust said the resurgence of native wildlife was especially significant for Ōpua Forest as part of the greater Waipoua Forest ecosystem – one of the last large kauri forests still free of kauri dieback disease. Its health and biodiversity make it a vital refuge in the fight to preserve New Zealand’s native ecosystems.

He warned that many forests across Northland were still in shocking condition.

“They’ve become pest reserves, places where possums and rats can breed up and spill out into surrounding areas. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“These forests grow fast, store carbon, and support our rarest plants and animals. But they depend on us. Without ongoing support, we risk losing everything we’ve worked for,” Windust said.

With Department of Conservation budgets continually being slashed, Windust urged people to put pressure on the Government to commit to supporting community and hapū-led conservation efforts.

“An extra $20 million a year for groups like ours could save forests like this all across Northland. We’ve already shown what’s possible, so it would be money well spent with so many positive outcomes,” he said.

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.