Predator-free Rangitahi?

The local peninsula taking steps towards a being predator-free.

Whāingaroa’s newest and biggest subdivision is taking action to tackle invasive predators! What was farmland only a few short years ago is fast filling with new houses, and numerous residents now call the peninsula home.

Each trap deployed is represented by a red dot on the map.

A common theme amongst Rangitahi’s newest residents was the presence of more rodents than they’d ever seen before. One keen resident reached out to the Karioi Project after the builder next door informed them of cheeky rats visiting their new backyard. Another said they’d had enough of cleaning up after mice when they repeatedly went through their house. These residents, and many more have now joined the Karioi Project’s Backyard Hub, hoping to play their part in restoring local biodiversity (and a pest free home!).

Rangitahi’s developers have eagerly supported the initiative and sponsored 30 traps. These were successfully installed last month along the peninsula’s public paths. This new trapline is checked on a regular basis by some of Rangitahi’s motivated residents, targeting mice, rats, and stoats. Possum traps will likely be added in the near future too.

We’re excited to be working together towards creating a healthier and safer place for native wildlife to flourish once again. We can be even more successful if more traps are deployed and checked. There are still plenty of gaps to be filled within our trapping network, so please connect with us if you would like to contribute to a predator free Whāingaroa!