Rodents put bird sanctuary on high alert

FIGHTING RAT INCURSION: More volunteers are needed to help keep Bushy Park free of predators. Working at the park on Friday after rats were found are student volunteers Maia Brooke, left and Katherine Lockton. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 211114WCSMBUSHY-PARK1

Nine rats have been caught inside Bushy Park's predator fence.

The park has made a huge effort to keep its populations of native birds safe but in the last few days rats have been trapped in the 100 hectare park, which is mainly native bush.

Volunteers spent Friday morning trying to find any breach in the fence that was built around the park in 2008 to keep rats and other predators out. They were unsuccessful but more traps will be set around the area.

"It's action stations," said Bushy Park Trust chairperson Liz Tennent. "We still don't know how the rats got into the sanctuary and there is no clear breach of the fence.

"Maybe branches near the fence allowed the rats to climb over. It is known that rats can live in a tree canopy."

More money and volunteers are urgently needed to combat the problem.

"This unexpected demand for more rat traps will put Bushy Park's finances under extra strain. Wanganui's locals already support the park very generously but if they are able to extend that generosity at this time, that would be a real benefit to the birds and other wildlife that have made their home inside the park."

The park on Rangitatau East Road has had a successful tieke (saddleback) and hihi (stitchbird) breeding programme and it's also home to bellbirds, kereru, North Island robin, kiwi, morepork, falcon, fantail grey warbler, mallard, silvereye, kingfishers and white faced heron.

Anyone who can help out should contact Mandy on 347 7398.

Rat bites were seen on monitoring chew cards and when more rat traps are set around the park they will need regular checking.