Local Rangitahi volunteers are making a real dent in pest numbers across the peninsula.
Predator traps might be small and easy to miss along the walkways, but together they’re having a big impact. The Rangitahi team has now deployed 63 traps along walkways and the estuarine edge to target rats, stoats, and possums. These traps protect native wildlife, and ongoing trapping also reduces the risk of them entering homes, ceilings, and sheds, making this approach a win for both biodiversity and everyday living.
So far, the Rangitahi trapping network has removed over 650 introduced predators, mostly rats and mice, along with possums and mustelids. These pests prey on eggs and chicks and bounce back quickly if control stops – which is why regular trapping is essential.
Behind the numbers are hundreds of volunteer trap checks and a shared commitment to caring for this place. Add in backyard trapping by 20 local families, and altogether, we really are making a huge difference!
Local family Molly and Brett, and their two kids, Ava and Eden, are part of the Karioi Backyard Hub and have trapped four rats and mice in the last few months. They say:
“We like trapping because it’s simple to do, but it feels great knowing we’re making a real difference for the environment right in our own backyard.”
To get involved and add a trap to your backyard, go to our website www.karioiproject.co.nz
Ngaa mihi nui !
Karioi Project news is proudly sponsored by: raglanboatcharters.co.nz
