Hawke's Bay Regional Council trials chocolate in rat traps

Regional councils across the country, including Hawke's Bay, are using chocolate as part of a new pest control. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay Regional Council has taken the phrase "death by chocolate" to a whole new meaning with the region's rat population.

A trial is being undertaken in conjunction with the Department of Conservation to deploy about 800 self-resetting traps - with a chocolate lure - up at Boundary Stream mainland island.

It's one of a suite of tools in the council's arsenal to control biodiversity in the rural environment.

The rodent numbers were being monitored by tracking tunnels – cards in tunnels with ink on the floor that show footprints, with numbers remaining at low levels. The site also has chew cards with peanut butter smeared on them.

Wellington's council is now following the lead, partnered to investigate how well rat numbers can be controlled without poison at Te Ahumairangi Hill.

HBRC manager for catchment services Campbell Leckie said although rats were prominent in Hawke's Bay, the council's major focus was possum control.

"HBRC undertakes possum control in urban environments for our urban biodiversity programme but we currently are not specifically targeting rats," he said.

"The self-resetting traps have their place as a tool, but people should always consider how and where they set them in an urban environment to reduce the risk to young children and pets."

Hawke's Bay residents who had issues with the rodents on their properties were advised to contact pest control rather than the regional council.

However, if the rats were coming from council land such as a reserve, then residents across Hawke's Bay could report it to the relevant council who would then deal with the issue.