Hungry rats threaten butterflies and birds in suburban park

A rat spotted in trees in Abberley Park in St Albans has users of the park concerned. Photo / Friends of Abberley Park

Rats have taken up residence in Abberley Park, St Albans, threatening the monarch butterfly and fantail populations.

Traps have been set to rid the park of rats. Friends of Abberley Park group member Patricia Wallace said butterfly numbers had been noticeably dwindling.

"When concerns were raised that rats might be eating butterflies in the trees at night, it immediately spiked our interest. We also have quite a lot of fantails and we know rats eat the eggs and fledglings of our native birds like these," she said.

City council manager community parks Al Hardy said while no decisions have been made in relation to rat control, cameras, traps and a small number of mice and rat traps have shown evidence of rats in the park.

Only one rat nest has been found so far, after a dog had a particular interest with one tree.

"We shook the trees and we saw rats running in the branches," said Wallace.

Wallace is calling on any volunteers who could help to reduce the problem, and is urging the public to report any information if they see rats in the park.

She said all parties involved want to be careful about what sort of traps that are set.

"Because it's a public park, it's bounded by domestic buildings which will probably have cats and dogs and there are children, too, who enjoy the park, too, so we can't be having any poison baits." She believes the number of rats in Christchurch has increased since the earthquakes.

"There is still an awful lot of buildings in demolition or rebuild states in St Albans."

'We're optimistic that the new traps might make a big difference and we are asking people to notify us if they see any rat nests in the park," she said.