Predator Control & Trapping
Native species are fighting for survival from predation by rats, stoats and possums. Without protection, we risk losing New Zealand’s unique natural heritage and biodiversity.
In the Eastern Bays, Mainland Island Restoration Operation (MIRO) have been working in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council to restore the forest and lake ecosystems.
MIRO is a volunteer organisation that has focused on controlling and trapping predators that have been damaging native trees and preying on native birds in this area for the last 20 years and in 2017, set up Educating Residents About Trapping (ERAT) in the Eastern bays.
Using a mix of traps (DOC200s, Victor rat traps in tunnels, D-rats and Goodnature A24 self-resetting traps) the aim of the project is to achieve sustainable predator control within the residential areas of Eastbourne.
The ERAT project has been designed to overcome three main difficulties:
Dislike of trapping. A lot of people do not wish to interact with rats or the yucky side of trapping. This is being overcome by offering to provide a regular trap clear and re-bait service by a trained neighbourhood trap line operator (a volunteer).
Sustaining the effort. Many people start off setting traps with enthusiasm or due to necessity (for fear of damage to property), but the reality is that once the initial population has been controlled, trapping efforts fall away until rats are sighted again or damage reoccurs.
Fear for the safety of pets and children. ERAT has been able to appoint a local veterinarian to the project Steering Group. We are working hard to stick to current recommended trapping best practice from Predator Free NZ.
ERAT is about community resilience—the project aims to build good communication between residents and the trap line volunteers (who are also residents) with the aim of creating a community that unites to control pests, protect their homes, family and the natural treasures that exist around us in Eastbourne. MIRO provide the framework and supply the traps at cost or less and the neighbourhood work together to achieve their goal.
For more information visit ERAT - MIRO
