Rat spotted and killed on Auckland's pest-free Motuihe Island

Friday, 26 July 2019

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW

A rat has been found and killed on a pest-free island in the Hauraki Gulf.

Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers spied the rodent intruder on Auckland's Motuihe Island on Sunday night, via a video camera set up to monitor little spotted kiwi.

An operation was launched to capture it the next morning, said Motuihe trust chairman John Laurence. Traps, tunnels and 'rat motels' were baited with high quality peanut butter, fresh eggs, rabbit meat and 'rat bedding' from pet shops – all attractive to rats.

Laurence said his volunteers were alarmed to see footage of a rat as it posed a serious threat to native wildlife on Motuihe.

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DOC Auckland inner islands operations manager Scott Antcliff said traps, impregnated with 'rat scent', were set up in the area the rat was seen in on Monday.

A dead rat was found inside one trap on Friday.

'This is a great result by the team set up to catch the rat. This introduced predator posed a significant threat to native wildlife on pest-free Motuihe.'

Antcliff said a 'rat scented trap' was used to catch another rat on pest-free Motutapu Island a year ago.

'So this lure is proving very effective in removing rats from pest-free islands.'

Rats are not wanted on the islands as they eat the eggs and chicks of native birds as well as native lizards and weta.

They also eat seeds and flowers, depriving native wildlife of food.

Motuihe has been free of rats, mice and other introduced pests since 2005.

The island provides a safe haven for threatened and at-risk native wildlife including kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi, tīeke/saddleback and kākāriki/red-crowned parakeet, korimako/bellbird, tuatara and shore skink.

DOC works in partnership with Auckland Council to protect pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

However, Antcliff said there was always a risk of a rat or other pest making it over to a pest-free island.

'We're reminding people to ensure their boats, yachts and kayaks are not carrying a rat or mouse when they sail to Motuihe or other pest-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.'