Lake Wānaka is home to two pest-free islands, Mou Tapu and Mou Waho, providing a safe haven for native species such as buff weka, mountain stone wētā and the Southern Alps gecko.
In a statement, Department of Conservation Central Otago operations manager Charlie Sklenar said over the Christmas holidays and rest of summer the lake got busier with people out enjoying nature, and stops to these islands were a popular activity.
"The highest risk of a pest incursion to these islands is being carried unknowingly by boat or kayak. This is even higher for vessels that have been in storage for a while, and haven’t been checked for unwanted passengers — rats, mice, skinks and stoats," she said.
"With more boats on water and visiting islands during the busy season, there’s a higher chance of transporting a pest animal to the islands. Once they’re there, they can be very difficult to remove, costing a lot of time, money and resources."
Various things could reduce the risk of transporting, she said.
These include checking boats for signs of pest animals before leaving home; looking for signs of rodents such as droppings and gnawing; setting out bait or a trap in vessels at least three days before heading to the islands; doing a double check of the vessel to ensure there are no stowaways when leaving and securely storing food items before heading to the islands.
Fires are prohibited on either island at any time.
If anyone saw a pest animal on Mou Waho or Mou Tapu, they were asked to report it to the Wānaka visitor centre or call 0800 DOCHOT. People should get photos and GPS co-ordinates or a good description of the location.
— Allied Media
