Rat programme in 2014 and earlier

Old Rat Programme News - 2014 and earlier

2 December 2014: A new site is available to help you identify NZ pest animals: see http://www.pestdetective.org.nz/ - it lists many animals - but the most likely ones you'll see around the suburbs are: cats, ferrets, hedgehogs, mice, rats, possums, stoats and weasels. It can help you identify species by droppings, footprints, vegetation damage and other clues.

11 October 2014: The Le Roys Bush committee met with Council officers and a representative of the Council contractor on the North Shore (NZ Biosecurity Ltd) to discuss the current rat control programme and plans for the future to keep Le Roys Bush and its surrounds free of rats, possums and other creatures that predate on native bird life.

It was agreed that BioSecurity would do all the pest animal control within the reserve proper using new type of rat bait stations and baits. The programme in back yards will continue with the same bait stations and baits. We have received a Google Map showing where the new rat bait stations are located. We have asked to be kept informed of the number of bait blocks consumed across the reserve. The contractors are also placing stations to monitor and trap possums and other pest animals.

Thank you very much to the volunteers who have been looking after the stations in the reserve over the past few years. You have done a fantastic job.

If you are currently looking after a bait station on your property, we hope you will continue to do this. It is an important part in fostering native birds and geckos in the reserve - hopefully the chorus of song in the reserve will grow year by year. We will be initiating a new approach to collecting data about the rat baits taken from private property - we will be in touch with you about this soon. The negotiations over these changes have taken a while. Thank you to you all for your forebearance.

A next step may be to start monitoring rat and possum activity with tracking tunnels. More about this later.

Watch this space to learn more.

Dec 2013: Some volunteers report a reduction in rats this year. But others are still getting large numbers. One resident in the Maritime Tce area reports possums. Is anyone else getting possums?

May 2013: The Council contractors report catching two possums in trapping near Hinemoa Street.

Several rat bait station volunteers report a higher level of baits being taken by rats. If you haven't checked lately, we suggest you do now and let us know if you need more baits.

The Programme from October 2014:

Watch this space!

The Programme from 2009 to 2014:

This very successful leading edge programme is staffed by volunteers using baits and stations funded by the Auckland Council Parks and Biosecurity Departments is aiming to eliminate animal pests which destroy birdlife and native vegetation.

After a quiet winter, we can expect to see more rat activity over the coming weeks. An email will go out by early October with news about the next cycle in the programme.

A number of volunteers have moved out of the district - so if you can help, please email or phone us.

We have possum and stoat traps available to people whose home border the reserve

For more information on what is being done and how you can help read the attached documents.