PREDATOR RESPONSE TE RONGOĀ

Protecting taonga species Te tautiaki i ngā momo taonga koiora 2021 THE PROBLEM – TE RARURARU The native wildlife of Aotearoa and the places they live are taonga (treasures). We need to protect them.

Twenty-five million native birds are killed increase when they are not controlled. each year by possums, stoats, rats and DOC must continue its long-term predator other predators.1 control programme to prevent the decline of native species. Tiakina Ngā Manu is the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) national programme With the removal of the pressure to to protect threatened native species from respond to mast conditions, DOC is able predators on public conservation land. to return to sites nationally to protect It is part of the national Predator Free taonga species and their habitats. 2050 movement. Overall, we aim to reduce predators in approximately 500,000 ha of public No beech mast or heavy seeding is conservation land to give native species predicted for 2020/2021, however, rat, a chance to breed. stoat and possum numbers continue to Predator SUMMER plague cycle When forest trees flower heavily, a lot of seed is produced

AUTUMN When seed is abundant, the rodent population increases rapidly

WINTER Stoats feed on abundant rodents

SUMMER ONWARDS SPRING Stoat numbers explode When the seed rots or germinates, and they also turn plagues of starving rats turn to bird to birds for food eggs and nestlings

1John Innes, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Treasure for the future Hei taonga mā ngā whakatupuranga A fundamental part of DOC’s long-term approach is to work closely with iwi, hapū and whānau. Iwi-led initiatives to improve the health of the ngahere (forests), including predator control on lands over which they are kaitiaki (guardians), are also supported by DOC.

Pekapeka-tou-poto / short-tailed bat

Threat status: Northern: In serious trouble Central: In some trouble Southern: In some trouble Population: More than 10,000 Distribution: North Island: Restricted to two isolated populations in northern North Island and patchy across central North Island. Restricted to Fiordland and Codfish Island /Whenua Hou in the South Island.

%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

With predator control national Without predator control national increase of 9% annually decrease of 5% annually

Bat on ground among dactylanthus buds. Photo: David Mudge RESPONSE – TE RONGOĀ Controlling predators

The Department of Conservation uses a range of pest-control tools to suit particular needs. Trapping and other ground-based predator control methods play an important part in ongoing control in accessible areas, but cannot be easily scaled up to respond rapidly to immediate pest threats. Biodegradable 1080 is applied by air over large areas or rugged terrain to suppress rats, stoats and possums.

Ground control Conventional and self-resetting traps and bait stations are used for longer term and localised suppression of predator populations in accessible areas.

Conventional traps Bait stations Self-resetting traps

Aerial 1080 1080 is biodegradable, breaks down quickly in the 4–6 baits are dropped environment and does not in an area the size of a leave permanent residues in tennis court. water, soil, plants or animals. Without the need to The active component occurs respond to a mast this naturally in many plants in year, Tiakina Ngā Manu Australia, South America and is focused on protecting Africa as a defence against vulnerable sites and browsing animals. species across the country. North Island kōkako

Threat status: In some trouble Population: 2000 pairs Distribution: North Island native forests

sporadic predator control regular predator control

100 pairs 300 pairs 2000 pairs

1989 1999 2020

More than 600 kiwi have been monitored during aerial 1080 operations since 1990. Not one kiwi has died as a result of 1080.

Photo: Rod Morris DELIVERY – TE WHAKATINANA Taonga species under threat

The highlighted areas are home to some of Aotearoa New Zealand's most vulnerable native species. These species and their kōkako habitats need protection pekapeka/bat kiwi from introduced predators. snail whio/blue duck kiwi pekapeka/bat titipounamu/rifleman kākā

Indicative areas of species under most threat

National park kākā whio/blue duck Conservation park kiwi Other public conservation land pekapeka/bat toutouwai/robin

snail pīwauwau/rock wren kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet whio/blue duck kiwi kākā toutouwai/robin titipounamu/rifleman kea pōpokotea/whitehead kākā

kea mohua/yellowhead pīwauwau/rock wren kākā kiwi tūturiwhatu/ whio/blue duck southern NZ dotterel Whio Kākā

Photo: Herb Christophers Photo: Herb Christophers

Status In serious trouble Status: North Island: In some trouble South Island: In serious trouble Population: Breeding population unlikely to be more than 1000 pairs Population: >10,000

Distribution: Forested headwater catchments Distribution: Large forested areas in the along the ranges of both islands. North and South Islands.

Kea Brown kiwi

Photo: Sabine Bernert Photo: Rod Morris

Status: In serious trouble Status: In serious trouble

Population: 3000–5000 Population: Approximately 25,000

Distribution: Alpine and forested environments of Distribution: Lowland and coastal native forest and the South Island. subalpine areas of the North Island.

Powelliphanta snails Tūturiwhatu/southern NZ dotterel

Photo: Kath Walker Photo: James Reardon

Status: In serious trouble Status: In serious trouble

Population: Declining Population: 173 individuals

Distribution: Widely but sparsely spread Distribution: Remnant breeding population on throughout western South Island Rakiura/Stewart Island. and lower North Island. OUTCOME – TUKUNGA IHO Long-term monitoring An example: doubling native bird numbers in the Landsborough valley

For 23 years, our ‘bird counters’ have researched how bird life in the South Westland’s remote Landsborough valley responds to sustained predator control.

The results of this painstaking work show This outcome shows that where we protect that native bird numbers have more than taonga species against possums, rats and doubled since predator control began. stoats over whole valleys and forests, we Seven of the 13 taonga species in the can turn their fortunes around. valley have increased and four remain This progress bodes well as we work stable. One of the most threatened birds, towards a predator free Aotearoa the mohua/yellowhead, has gone from New Zealand. 14 birds in the survey area to 485 birds at the last count in November 2020.

Mohua/yellowhead. Photo: Leon Berard Titipounamu/rifleman. Photo: DOC Miromiro/tomtit. Photo: Brent Beaven

For more information on DOC’s planning for predator control This publication is produced using this year, visit www.doc.govt.nz/tiakina-nga-manu paper sourced from well-managed, renewable and legally logged forests. For more information on Predator Free 2050: www.doc.govt.nz/pf2050

Front cover: Pekapeka-tou-poto/short-tailed bat. Photo: David Mudge Published by: Department of Conservation, PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143 Editing and design: Creative Services, Department of Conservation

March 2021 R196077