Kill data from trap lines

Paul Hellebrekers.
Paul Hellebrekers.
Kill figures provided by the Matukituki Charitable Trust give some indication of the type and number of pests threatening native birds in the Upper Clutha.

The trust is one of the newest conservation groups battling pests in the Upper Clutha and project manager Paul Hellebrekers keeps track of its activities.

Last month, the trust's Rob Roy trap line (25 traps) caught eight mice, while the Matukituki True Right (63 traps) caught four cats, two possums, nine hedgehogs and two rats.

Over the past two years, the trust's Pearl Flat, Red Beech and Rob Roy lines have caught a total of 71 stoats, 16 hedgehogs and five rats, bringing the trust's total number of kills to 341 stoats, 16 hedgehogs and 31 rats.

The Department of Conservation carried out an aerial 1080 poison drop in the Matukituki Valley late last year as part of its ''Battle for our Birds'' campaign.

A Doc spokeswoman said yesterday the full analysis of the data from 27 1080 poisoning operations would not be available for a couple of weeks.

However, Mr Hellebrekers told the Otago Daily Times trust volunteers monitoring the valley since the drop had reported bird life was ''really doing well''.

Adult and juvenile kea were present regularly in the upper valley.

They also observed families of falcons, moreporks, kaka and parakeets, and ''a lot'' of riflemen, grey warblers, bellbirds and fantails.

''Robins are doing very well and now spreading up and down the valley, and some bats have also been sighted.''

Mr Hellebrekers expected the benefits of the 1080 drop would be for visible over the next two to three breeding seasons.

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