Zealandia weasel caught after over a week of trapping and tracking

Friday, 12 October 2018

Zealandia's weasel hunt is over - the weasel which entered the sanctuary over a week ago has been caught. 

The female weasel was found in a humane kill trap by a Zealandia ranger on Friday at the southern end of the urban ecosanctuary where the animal was first detected.

Conservation and Research Manager Dr Danielle Shanahan said they were delighted with the catch.

It was the ecosanctuary's first incursion of a predator in 10 years. 

**READ MORE:

* Zealandia could set 170 traps for weasel roaming the sanctuary

* Wellington's Zealandia to set 70 traps for suspected weasel pest

* Predator inside Zealandia remains at large**

Zealandia set around 110 traps in the urban wildlife sanctuary, baited with rabbit meat and eggs, while a further 60 were at the ready. 

Camera traps were also set, capturing the weasel on video three times at the same location.

Shanahan said they would be checking the weasel's stomach to see if it ate any wildlife in the sanctuary.  

To her relief, the weasel didn't appear to be pregnant, she said. 

The weasel's footprints were first discovered on October 1, prompting a sanctuary-wide incursion response. 

It was still not known how the weasel entered the sanctuary, and staff would continue to thoroughly check the 8.6 km predator fence.

'We've managed to detect and respond to this really quickly, dramatically reducing the risk to our wildlife.' 

However, she was quick to add there was still more to do. 

Zealandia would continue to monitor traps, cameras and tunnels until they were sure there was only one unwanted guest. 

They already check the fence every week, and would be checking it vigilantly, Shanahan said. 

'I really, really want to be sure it's not the fence that's the problem.' 

It seemed unlikely, but the weasel could have been dropped from the air by a large bird, like a falcon, she said. 

The catch was a success due to a range of organisations who got behind the effort, she said. 

She said the weasel was caught on their first check of the traps. 

'I thought it was going to take a bit longer.'