A new technology trial and a new communications programme lead
New Communications Programme Lead David Klein got out into the field to help install some new technology to make Predator Free Wellington’s work faster and cheaper.
Communications Programme Lead David Klein
It’s a drizzly winter morning in Wellington and I’m kitted out with a fleece, raincoat and overtrousers. While there’s plenty to learn in the warm office, I jump in a ute with some of our hard-working field operators. They’re the ones knocking on doors, checking traps and bait stations and doing the hard yards. Today was ‘all hands on deck’ as we trialed a new technology.
We park at the top of Majoribanks St and load our packs with gear for the day. Field Supervisor Blake uses Trap.NZ to find the first spot in Mount Victoria where we install the new low-labour (‘Lola’) bait tunnels. Lola devices don’t need checking as often and rely on automation. If we check a trap or bait station monthly rather than weekly or fortnightly, we’re halving or quartering the work we need to do. This drives down the costs and means we can work to remove rats somewhere else.
This trial uses new technology from our friends at Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP). Their H2-Zero slowly releases a liquid bait for rats. We secure the tunnels away from the Mt Victoria tracks that Wellingtonians love to use, though they are safe to use around cats, dogs and children. We also set up trail cameras to understand how rats act around the tunnels. These cameras will help us find any ‘trap-shy’ rats that need different tactics to remove them.
It’s hard work! Carrying the gear, climbing up and down the tracks, clambering over fallen trees – I was pretty exhausted by lunchtime. It made me appreciate the hard work the field team has been doing for years to remove rats and stoats. Blake and others though said that it’s the volunteers and trappers from community groups who are the real heroes.
Field Supervisor Blake installing an H2-Zero station
The sun came out as we left the field, having installed a dense network of tunnels across the Mt Vic town belt. We’ll check how the new tunnels perform over the coming months and decide whether we’ll use them across more of our bait network.
Posted: 22 July 2024