Source: Radio New Zealand
A possum caught on camera. Supplied / GWRC
A recent pest control operation in Wainuiomata momentarily knocked the possum population down to zero – the lowest result recorded in the area for 20 years.
Greater Wellington Regional Council carries out aerial 1080 drops in the area every five years. This latest occurred on 15 August.
Director of delivery Jack Mace said its wax tag monitoring system detected zero possums – a new record, after the previous low of 0.1 percent recorded after a 1080 operation in 2005.
“It’s very rare that we achieve almost complete elimination like this in a 1080 operation,” he said. “It was well planned and executed by our pest animals team.”
But the results were expected to be short-lived.
“We know results like this never last forever – reinvasion is inevitable,” Mace said. “But what we can do is keep knocking possums and rats down to give the forest and birds a break.”
He explained 1080 was a safe and effective tool for managing pests, and there were no traces of it recorded in water samples taken from waterways in the area after the drop.
The process was aided by trail cameras, installed as part of the council’s new zero ungulate programme, which showed the operation had also reduced the numbers of stoats and feral cats.
The next step would be to cut down the number of larger pests like deer, goats and pigs.
Mace said while possums, feral cats and stoats were regularly controlled using 1080 and trapping, the council was concerned about increasing deer, goat and pig populations which had “cleared out” the forest ground cover and understory.
“The canopy is relatively healthy; however a forest ecosystem needs all levels – ground cover, understory and canopy – to thrive. The zero ungulate programme will see a significant increase in pest animal control and an extension of the ungulate-proof fence to prevent reinvasion,” he said.
“The aim of the project is to remove ungulates and keep them out.
The Wainuiomata Water Collection Area is home to northern rātā and rimu trees left untouched by historic logging. Mace called them “jewels in the crown of lower North Island forest”.
“This area is precious and it’s our role to protect it.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
