Dunedin residents are being invited to pull on a puffer jacket, find their gumboots, grab a torch and head outside for Spotlight on Possums, a city-wide night survey running from June 22-28.
Now in its fourth year, Spotlight on Possums has become a winter fixture for Dunedin residents keen to do a quick night-time check for possums in their backyard, local park or neighbourhood reserve.
The annual event, delivered by Predator Free Dunedin, City Sanctuary and The Halo Project, asks people across Dunedin to head out after dark, look and listen for possums in backyards, parks, reserves and bushy neighbourhood edges, and report what they find through an online form.
Just as importantly, ‘‘no possums tonight’’ was also a valuable result, helping build a clearer picture of where possums are active and where they are absent. The event is timed for midwinter evenings around the full moon, when possums are more active and easier to see.
City Sanctuary project co-ordinator Elizabeth Franklin said having more eyes on the trees and boots on the ground gathering this information provided a more accurate picture of where Dunedin possums are.
Earlier this year, the Otago Peninsula was officially declared possum-free after years of work.
Reports from adjoining buffer suburbs — The Cove, Waverley, Shiel Hill, Anderson’s Bay, Musselburgh and Ocean Grove/Tomahawk — help identify any possums before they can move back in.
Possums are one of the greatest threats to New Zealand’s natural environment, eating food sought by native wildlife and also birds and their eggs.
Across New Zealand, possums were estimated to consume about 21,000 tonnes of vegetation every night.
Predator Free Dunedin communications/engagement leader Rosie Olsen said Spotlight on Possums was designed to be an easy, family-friendly way for people to contribute to conservation.
‘‘It shows how much impact you can have for local wildlife, even if trapping is not your thing. It also counts as getting off the couch, which feels worth celebrating in winter.’’
Families were encouraged to stick to familiar places, supervise children, and keep the outing simple and safe.
The reporting link is available at the Predator Free Dunedin website. — Allied Media
