LETTER: Blitzing the pests out West

It is nearly six weeks since the article concerning the nuisance of possums appeared in
your publication.
If you have any doubt how well you reach your readers, I can assure you that the phone is still ringing.
It is a matter of being open all hours, including weekends that I think that has really helped our project.
Some 56 possum Timms traps are now out there, saving the forests, the birds, and our gardens. That was the reason for this project.
About 80 per cent of people are concerned about the "possum poo'' around their homes whilst only that remaining 20 per cent worried for the environment.
It seems the primary concern of the people is the "poo'' on their decks, drives and roofs,
especially those who use water tanks for their water supply.
One lady told me she could hear the possums "dancing'' on her roof at night. Her one trap has caught four possums to date.
One distraught lady phoned at 8.30am, I was still in my nightie ... She had a dead possum in the trap with one live joey. Being a townie, I had not been exposed to possums, and trapping them.
However I told the lady "leave it to me''. I phoned Linda, my possum partner. She comes from a farming family, dating back to 1842. She took off with a cat cage, in which she put
the trap and the possums.
After taking it back to her house, she placed the cage containing trap and possums in a large water butt. I received a phone call from her at 9.15am "mission completed''. The empty trap was returned to the owner that same day.
My study-office is transformed into "Possum Headquarters'' with people coming from Westmere, Jaggers Bush, Massey, Glen Eden, Green Bay, Laingholm, Huia, Waiatarua, and Titirangi.
Last week Linda and I even delivered two traps to Whenuapai, as the elderly couple found it difficult to drive to Titirangi.
Following the response to the article in The Aucklander, we would like to keep the momentum going! Since starting this letter another four traps have been sold.
We are now waiting on another order of 60 traps from the Auckland Regional Council to continue the effort and really make an impact on the possum population in our communities.
This is of course a voluntary project, which has been fun and interesting for Linda and myself.
June Henderson
To request a possum trap, contact :
June Henderson 817-8315 or Linda Graham 817-4338
Email: op.possumblitz@hotmail.com