Community Trapping Project

Once it has been established that kiwi are present on these properties, the Trust loans the landowner traps on long term basis, it becomes the landowners part of the agreement to regularly check their traps and provide trap catch data.

The Kiwi Habitat Protection Leader & Ranger provide ongoing support to these landowners, oversees and participates in annual trap audits and maintenance and works with new land owners to establish trapping plans. Currently there are over 2300 traps in place protecting over 18,000 plus hectares on 37 Taranaki sites.

Traps for the large part are DOC 200’s, with SA Kat traps, and DoC250’s introduced to in recent years to target feral cats and ferrets with self-setting A24’s being deployed in inaccessible country.

Protected areas are steadily increasing, largely on the back of a close working relationship with Taranaki Regional Council who identify kiwi habitats as part of their Key Native Ecosystem assessments. Several of these sites have been identified as new release sites for kiwi bred in the Taranaki Kōhanga Kiwi at Rotokare, and will be developed over the next few years in partnership with hapu, landowners and other agencies.