Inquiry#2

Inquiry #2 Pests

What is a Stoat?, A Stoat is a small mammal that is in the weasel family. It has white fur on its stomach and under its chin, While on the top it has a coat of dull orange. In New Zealand they live anywhere there is prey, from the beaches to the mountains. They are great climbers, they hunt at anytime, day or night, they can even swim. Their whole purpose in life is to eat and reproduce. In this report I will be talking about the stoat and the main effects it has on New Zealand's animals that it preys on.The report will conclude with what measures have been taken to control the Stoats effects on our native birds.Enjoy

What do Stoats eat?

Their main prey are rats, mice,birds,hares,possums and insects.Stoats will also eat Lizards,freshwater crayfish, roadkill, hedgehogs and fish.If they get the chance, they’ll kill more than the need for food and hide the rest in their den to eat later. They can kill animals much bigger than themselves like the rabbit with.

How do the hunt?

Stoats have very good eyesight, good hearing and strong sense if smell. They move quickly and are good at climbing trees so they can eat baby birds and eggs in the nest. Stoats check every burrow and hollow they see and if they find a ground-nesting bird it has very little chance to escape.

Stoats were introduced to New Zealand in 1884 to control rabbits and hares that were destroying the sheep pasture. Scientists and bird-lovers warned that they would be a danger to our native birds, but their warnings were ignored, and by 1885, stoats were all around New Zealand because they were catching rides in ships and boats. From early on the stoat has had a very devastating effect on New Zealand’s bird life.

By 2019, 22 native Bird species had died from predators or pests, Like the Chatham bellbird, the South island Piopio, and the Huia. But the Stoats are not the only pest that’s still killing our native birds. Rats, possums, and mice are also all around New Zealand. eating the eggs from common and endangered Birds nests.

Over 25 million native birds are killed in New Zealand each year due to the Stoat, According to Duncan Kay of Zero invasive Predators “they have really been driving the Native birds to extinction” like the Kiwi, Kea, Kakapo, and the weka.

The New Zealand government has made a plan to get rid of all pest life by 2050. So in about 30 years from now, with all the support we have from the public by people buying and placing traps to get rid of the pest in their backyard, helping the environment and saving New Zealand’s native bird species.All New Zealand pest should have been eliminated.

As you can see, Stoats have been a big problem here in New Zealand Historically.They could continue to be a problem for our native bird species,because they are really hard to catch and kill.However with the government stoat eradication plan it is hoped with public support,we can eradicate Stoats so that our native bird life can thrive.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/332000/four-out-of-five-nz-bird-species-in-trouble

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/stoats/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoats_in_New_Zealand

http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/yellowhammer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Zealand_animals_extinct_in_the_Holocene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhlA4v1KcVM