The volunteer group Predator Free Martinborough has caught in traps and despatched 166 introduced wildlife killers in the past year _ and 619 since it began more than three years ago.
The predators the group traps cover the full range: rats, possums, hedgehogs, stoats, weasels, ferrets, feral cats _ and “other” (unspecified in their newsletter).
Last November the group noted on Facebook, above a picture of a dead ferret:
“That’s a trifecta now for Predator Free Martinborough trap lines – weasel, stoat and ferret caught in the last few weeks. This ferret was in one of the Palliser Clouston Vineyard traps.”
Recently the group added 24 new traps, bought with a grant from Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Previous trap sponsors have included South Wairarapa Rotary Club, a Trust associated with Wellington Zoo, and DOC Masterton.
Group leader Jane Lenting said the new traps will be used in trap lines on the edge of Martinborough, near to where it is likely the NZ falcon, Karearea, are nesting.
Their aim is at “mainly for mustelids, hedgehogs and feral cats, (as well as) the occasional rat.”
Contacts: Jane Lenting
Lead – Predator Free Martinborough
Mob. 021 025 78799
