Forest & Bird rallies after rat footprints discovered in Whanganui’s Tarapuruhi Bushy Park

Tarapuruhi Bushy Park is seeking local volunteers with good backcountry skills to support the trapping and monitoring.

Rat footprints have been found inside Tarapuruhi Bushy Park.

Forest & Bird confirmed the footprints were found during a major incursion response after a fallen tree from a neighbouring property in a recent storm provided a bridge over the sanctuary’s predator-proof fence, creating a potential entry point for pests.

The tree was removed and emergency monitoring, bait and trapping measures were activated, Forest & Bird said in a statement.

It said no evidence of predation on wildlife had been detected, but operations were continuing.

“We are throwing everything we can at this response as the integrity of Tarapuruhi Bushy Park’s predator fence and the sanctuary’s pest-free status is critical to protecting our native species,” Forest & Bird group manager for conservation project delivery Ali Meade said.

“Staff and volunteers are searching for any signs of rats, mustelids, possums or feral cats within the sanctuary, in case any other predators used the tree as a bridge to enter the sanctuary.

“To protect our precious manu and ensure their safety, we’ve also brought in mustelid and rat detection dogs and set up extra tracking tunnels, cameras, bait stations and traps.”

Forest & Bird, alongside the Tarapuruhi Bushy Park Trust, local iwi Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi, Department of Conservation, Horizons Regional Council, and volunteers, have all been part of this intensive trapping and monitoring programme.

Meade said the size of the 98ha sanctuary meant even though they had received help from volunteers, DoC and Horizons Regional Council, it had not been possible to check the whole park on every sweep.

Tarapuruhi Bushy Park is seeking local volunteers with good backcountry skills to support the trapping and monitoring.

“Volunteers are the core of supporting conservation mahi at Tarapuruhi Bushy Park and anyone wanting to assist with this incursion response would be most welcome,” Tarapuruhi Bushy Park Trust chairman Bill Fleury said.

Anyone wanting to help or donate to the response should go to bushypark.nz.