Tamahunga Trappers

About

A predator control project is underway in the forests of Mount Tamahunga. The aim is to protect native plants and wildlife present, and encourage recolonisation of birds by trapping rodents and mustelids. And we need your help, so please join us!

Story

The Omaha Ecological Area is a 240 hectare reserve administered by DOC, which extends down the south-eastern slopes of Mount Tamahunga. Ngati Manuhiri administers a 10 hectare Scientific Reserve at the summit and local land owners have covenanted and protected forest adjacent to these reserves. The native forest is one of the finest in the region, and has rare plants such as king fern, Kirk’s pittosporum, and a unique iris found only on Mount Tamahunga. Native animals include the rare Hochstetter’s frog and birds such as tomtit, kaka and bellbird. Reducing the number of introduced pests should allow these native species to flourish and encourage more of them to visit from other protected areas in the region and become established here.
With the support of the Department of Conservation and some neighbouring land owners, lines of DOC250 kill traps have been set in the area, and a roster of volunteers is in place to check, clear and re-bait them. These traps are an effective and humane method of killing rodents, mustelids and other predators. By controlling these predators, the project is complementing work done by the Department of Conservation and the Auckland Council to control possums and eradicate goats and pigs in the reserves.
More info at http://www.naturespace.org.nz/groups/tamahunga-trappers