Native birds such as mohua (pictured), robins and parakeets stand to benefit from efforts by Doc Wakatipu to cut the rodent population in the Dart Valley. Photos supplied.
Doc Wakatipu bio-assets ranger Helen Clark sets up one of the 2200 bait stations for rats in the Dart Valley last Friday in a bid to protect native birdlife.
An unusual increase in the rat population in the Dart Valley during summer prompted the Department of Conservation (Doc) Wakatipu area office to set 2200 traps last month.
Doc biodiversity programme manager Mike Ambrose said this week the unprecedented increase in rodents, and the time of the year, called for the first deployment of bait stations in six years.
The $25,000 initiative involved 10 hut wardens, rangers from Nelson and casual staff, who set the traps in 2500ha in the valley in late May.
The aim was to protect small threatened native birds, including the yellowhead or mohua and parakeets and robins from the introduced pest, particularly before the birds' breeding season in August and September, Mr Ambrose said.
