Source: Department of Conservation
Date: 05 December 2024
Department of Conservation Senior Biodiversity Ranger Ben Gordon says each year kiwi are caught in leg-hold traps set for possums, causing injury and often death for the unfortunate birds.
“A kiwi can easily be caught by the leg or beak in a leg-hold trap, often causing injuries the bird can’t recover from.
“We’re asking the trapping community to help kiwi by setting these traps at a kiwi-safe height of more than 700 mm off the ground.”
Kiwi are ground-based birds not given to climbing. A simple 1 m long wooden board secured from a tree at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground allows access for target species while effectively deterring kiwi.
Brown kiwi are doing well, and the population in Coromandel has grown significantly thanks to long-term predator control programmes run by DOC and the wider community.
“The great success of Coromandel kiwi means they’re moving into more areas, and are at greater risk of encountering traps,” says Ben.
As with all trapping regimes, target animals should be treated humanely and not left to suffer – leg-hold traps must be checked daily and animals dispatched quickly.
For more information on how to set kiwi-safe traps contact your local DOC office.
Background information
Key Points to effective leg-hold trapping in a kiwi zone are:
- Trap is minimum of 700 mm off the ground.
- Board is approx. 1 m long and at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
- Trap is attached to the board and the chain is attached as low as possible.
- Board is on the uphill side of the tree.
Legal and humane use of leg-hold traps is described under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and the Animal Welfare (Leg-hold Traps) Order 2007: Traps and devices: animal welfare and pest management
More information about using leg traps: Bionet guidelines for leghold traps
Contact
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz
