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 provides 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 nearly 4000 traps in place protecting over 30,000 plus hectares on 38 Taranaki sites.
Traps for the large part are DOC 200’s, with SA Kat traps, and DoC250’s and Rewild F Bombs introduced to in recent years to target feral cats and ferrets with self-setting A24’s being deployed in inaccessible country.
Protected areas have been 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 are under developed in partnership with DOC, South Taranaki District Council, hapu, landowners and other agencies.
