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Home / New Zealand

Possible stoat sighting on Motuihe Island has DOC on alert

NZ Herald
29 Mar, 2018 06:49 AM2 mins to read

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DOC is searching for a live stoat on a pest-free island after a reported sighting. Image / Google
DOC is searching for a live stoat on a pest-free island after a reported sighting. Image / Google

DOC is searching for a live stoat on a pest-free island after a reported sighting. Image / Google

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has been alerted to a possible sighting of a stoat on pest-free Motuihe Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

DOC Auckland Inner Islands Operations Manager Keith Gell said a member of the public believed they had seen a stoat on the island.

"We're taking this reported sighting very seriously," Gell said.

All the traps on Motuihe had been baited with a combination of fresh rabbit meat and eggs, which is proven to lure stoats into traps, following the reported sighting.

"Two weeks ago, we trapped and killed a stoat on Motutapu, at Islington Bay, which connects Motutapu and Rangitoto islands," Gell said.

"Since a DOC ranger found the dead stoat during a routine biosecurity check, we've found no evidence of a live stoat on Motutapu or Rangitoto.

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"Motutapu is just 1.8 kilometres away from Motuihe."

DOC was working to determine if there was a live stoat on Motutapu, Rangitoto or Motuihe, he said.

DNA analysis, on the stoat trapped on Motutapu, had shown that it came from the Auckland mainland.

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But the analysis was unable to identify where on the Auckland mainland it came from.

"The stoat may have hidden on a vessel that travelled to Motutapu or sailed near the island," Gell said.

"Or it may have swum to the island."

Boat owners need to make sure there was not a stoat, rat or mouse, stowed away on their vessel, whenever they set out to sea in the Hauraki Gulf, said Gell.

Fullers and 360 Discovery, who run a ferry service to Motutapu and Rangitoto, had a pest free warrant from DOC.

The warrant shows that Fullers and 360 Discovery meets DOC's biosecurity standards for sailing to and past pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf.

"Day trippers and people staying at a campsite on a pest-free islands must remember that cats and dogs are not allowed on pest free-islands," said Gell.

"They pose a major threat to threatened and at-risk native wildlife on these islands."

It was also important people did not touch traps and other biosecurity devices on pest-free islands, he said.

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