Welcome to the last update on the Predator Free Russell project for 2024. It’s been a massive year, and one that the team at Russell Landcare are very proud of. At the start of 2024 we had 430ha of our peninsula in elimination phase, and 370ha of buffer zone. We now have over 1,100ha in elimination (that’s for rats and possums) with a 700ha buffer – some big gains by any measure.

We have streamlined processes, increased efficiencies, gotten to know our project area even better (and the predators within it), and taken on brilliant new people. All of this has contributed to this success and is the reason for our rapid expansion. Our hard working team has put us at the forefront of predator elimination in Aotearoa, especially regarding rats, and we are now more confident than ever that we can achieve a completely predator-free Russell peninsula in the not-too-distant future.

The Kororāreka knockdown is going as planned. In November we caught an additional 29 ship rats, down from 111 in October (and that was only the last two weeks of October). No possums or mustelids were caught, though we did have one possum detection thanks to some vigilant resident home surveillance. We have now pushed out our servicing schedule around town to once every two weeks. We serviced all traps and bait stations earlier this week, so will be around again in the week of December 17th, then again early in the new year.

In all our other elimination areas (that’s 1000ha of our peninsula) we caught only seven target species – four ship rats, one norway rat, one weasel and one possum – and that’s in a month when catches are typically higher as predators are on the move finding mates and new habitat. Non-target species were eight mice and two rabbits. Again, this is more evidence that what we’re doing is having a big effect on predator populations and gives us the confidence that we really can achieve the Big Goal.

Here is a map of our catches in Kororāreka in November. All of these are ship rats.

One interesting activity that occurred in November was four nights of thermal drone monitoring over our new buffer zone: Tikitikioure, between the transfer station, the Gas station and Paroa Bay. Due to past predator control we always thought that possum population on the peninsula were low compared with other parts of the country. We thought that if we did have many they would be hanging out in Tikitikioure. In order to increase our efficiency and do what we call “pre-monitoring”, we contracted Trap and Trigger Ltd (who are running the operations for the deer and goat cull in Russell State Forest) to fly their thermal drone over the large land blocks in this buffer zone to see if we could detect any possums before we go out and intensively trap them. About 300ha of rugged terrain was covered over four nights and we detected all of zero possums. This doesn’t mean that there are no possums there – the drone can’t see a possum if it’s hiding in a tree hollow, for instance – but it does give us the confidence to know that we are not dealing with tens or hundreds of possums. More good news for the project.

It’s quite amazing technology. Check out this video of a kiwi we spotted foraging under the canopy. It’s even sensitive enough to pick up small birds and rats, which of course we also detected. (Tip: Turn HD on with the settings cog for best viewing.)

We said thanks to all our awesome volunteers on November 16th with a BBQ at our depot. We did a quick calculation and figured out our network of Russell Landcare volunteers have donated over 3100 hours of work to conservation on the peninsula in the past 12 months. This, we think, is amazing – it’s literally like having two extra full time staff on board. Volunteers contribute to all sorts of activities, like trap building, weeding, line clearing, trap servicing, depot maintenance and baking, all of which are critical to keeping the project moving forward. 

If you’re looking to escape the madness over the silly season, we’ll be running volunteer days on Friday 27 December and Friday 3 January at our depot. Come on down for a morning of giving back and work off that Christmas lunch!

Here are a few photos from our BBQ and “Volunteer Awards” for 2024…

We’re about to take stock for the year, so this is probably a good time to remind ourselves why we’re doing what we’re doing. New Zealand’s temperate rainforest ecosystems are found nowhere else on earth, and over the past 1000 or so years, the introduction of predatory mammals (including people of course) has led to the extinction of around 50% of our vertebrate fauna, including at least 51 species of birds. For those that remain, continued predation, especially by rodents, possums and mustelids, continues to depress populations. The removal of these predators will help local biodiversity rebound to pre-disturbance levels.  

Why is this so important? As the world continues to be propelled into what is expected to be a period of climatic instability, the diversity of our ecosystems is what’s going to bring resilience to this instability. Diversity underpins the health of ecosystems, and the health of ecosystems underpins their ability to withstand disturbance. The health of ecosystems also underpins our economic system – in the absence of a healthy environment in which to exist, our society would cease to function. This is why conservation and restoration activities are so important. It’s not just about plants and animals, we are a part of the system. 

The influx of visitors this summer now presents us an opportunity to educate our wonderful guests on the benefits of conservation and what’s going on in our little corner of Aotearoa. We all have a part to play in the future of this planet, and collectively, small actions will drive beneficial outcomes for all. Please educate our visitors on local conservation efforts and the benefits of acting responsibly outdoors – and this of course includes an obligatory note about our furry four-legged friends and the potential harm they can cause to wildlife. Please share our environment respectfully and always with kindness. We only have one, let’s take care of it!    

Thank you for a great year, we will see you in the new one (or this Sunday at the Santa Parade!). 

Merry Christmas and a happy, safe New Year from all at Russell Landcare. 

Ngā mihi