Trap deployment on Karioi Maunga

The dream to restore sea birds to Karioi Maunga came one step closer with the first deployment of new stoat traps on the maunga completed.  The current expansion will increase the project’s trap network from 100 to 400 stoat traps, spread across 2000 hectares of coastal forest that traverses conservation, private and hapu land. The project also targets rats, feral cats and possums along the coastline.

More than 80 local volunteers, including delegates from around the country that attended the recent annual A Rocha hui, have added their enthusiasm and hard work to the project expansion, with deployment of the new traps continuing through to early 2016. Karioi: Maunga ki te Moana project manager and A Rocha co-director Kristel van Houte said: “It’s exciting after all the hard work of fund-raising and the cutting of 30km of new tracks to see the new traps being carried up to mountain on the backs of willing volunteers. The increase in traps should have a significant impact on predator numbers on the mountain – especially stoats – thereby providing Oi/Grey-faced petrels and other forest and seabirds with a safer environment for breeding.”

With a further 200 new traps still to be deployed and the ongoing checking of trap-lines there are lots of opportunities for volunteers to be involved in this exciting community-conservation project. Chris Naylor, the Executive Director of A Rocha International, attended the annual A Rocha hui in Whaingaroa/Raglan and said: “The Karioi: Mountain to Sea Project is a fantastic and inspiring example of a community-conservation project and it was great to be involved and see all the hard work that has led to this momentous expansion.”

To find out more about the project visit www.karioimaunga.co.nz or our Karioi Maunga ki te Moana facebook page. To donate to the project or become a project sponsor contact [email protected] or, if you are keen to volunteer, please contact Bexi Towle – [email protected].