Help needed save our native birds

Peter Crane of the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust

The Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust is about to prepare for its pest operation in order to protect and raise NZ brown kiwi, kokako and many other native birds. The Land asked trust chairman Peter Crane about the importance of keeping stoats, rats and possums out of the forest.

How important is pest control to the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust and why?

Pest control is one of the core operation of the trust. We are trying to keep pest numbers low to help the native bird populations recover and flourish, and to help with the health of the forest. So the pest control has a dual purpose. Firstly we target stoats as these are the main predators for the kiwi. From having no kiwi in the bush we now have a small population that is slowly increasing. Every kiwi is important and so stoat control is vital to the survival of the population. Secondly we target rats and possums. Our pest control operation is targeted so that pest numbers will be the lowest when the birds are breeding. We know possums and rats can target birds eggs and chicks, so when the birds have eggs and chicks in the nest we hope to have predator numbers at the lowest. Possums also feed off the trees and so we target possums to help with the recovery of the bush and native plants.

How many Kiwis are currently living in the bush?

We currently have 15 kiwi that have been released in the Otanewainuku bush. Eight of those birds have paired up so we have breeding pairs. All of the birds have transmitters and are monitored on a weekly basis. We plan to release another five kiwi into the bush later this year and we have another 10 kiwi in a predator proof creche in the Waikato. The kiwi are being kept in the creche for up to a year before they are released into the bush.

In the past three years have any Kiwi's been injured or killed by pests - what type of pests and what happened? To date none of our kiwi have been lost to predators. We put a huge emphasis on keeping pest numbers low and so far it has been working.

How do you trap and get rid of pests?

We have grid of stoat traps in the bush all year round that are checked by a dedicated team volunteers on a monthly basis. Rats and possums are targeted with a toxin operation once a year. That is the work we are doing now. We are clearing the bait station lines and checking all the bait stations for the toxin operation in September.

How many volunteers do you have on the trust?

We have over a hundred volunteers do a range of work on the trust. It is not just working in the bush. There are huge number of other jobs that need to be done from fundraising, education work with schools, the inevitable paperwork that comes with any organisation, communications and organisation of the many activities that we undertake.

What jobs can volunteers do?

We need volunteers to help clear the tracks. We also need more volunteers to help with stoat trapping. In September we start our pest control operation and we will need a small army of people to help in the bush with that operation. But if you can't get out in the bush then we also need volunteers to help work within the trust. There is a lot of organisation work and coordination work that we needs to be done so even if you can't get out in the bush but are keen on conservation and kiwi, then we can use your help.

Want to Help?

* Workdays are being held on Sunday and August 9 and August 23 to prepare for pest control.

* It will involve walking tracks, clearing vegetation, checking bait stations and track markers.

* A reasonable level of fitness is required.

* A barbecue, tea and coffee will be provided.

* Meet at Otanewainuku Shelter on Mountain Rd as road enters Otanewainuku Bush at 9am.

* Contact 5443951 or chair@kiwitrust for more information.