High quality monitoring and research is crucial to the ongoing success of our biosecurity programmes, including Towards Predator-Free Taranaki.
Assessing mustelid dispersal and the Predator Free Taranaki trapping programme using population genomics (Jan 2023)
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research was contracted by Taranaki Mounga Project Ltd and Taranaki Regional Council to investigate mustelid movements on the ring-plain and assess the efficacy of the trapping programme. The objective was to explore the potential for genomic analyses to determine the relatedness and dispersal of mustelids across the Taranaki ring-plain and mounga.
Manaaki Whenua mustelid dispersal population genomics 2023 (785 KB pdf)Mustelid movement in the Taranaki ring plain: update 2020
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research was contracted by Taranaki Mounga Project Ltd and the Taranaki Regional Council to investigate mustelid movements on the ring plain.
Manaaki Whenua Mustelid movement Taranaki ring plain 2020 (660 KB pdf)Trends in bird species occurrence and abundance in Taranaki (June 2021)
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research was commissioned by the Council to analyse 5-minute bird count data collected as part of the Towards Predator-Free Taranaki project to assess trends in bird species occurrence and abundance following predator control.
It concluded trends suggest predator control is having a positive effect on native bird species occurrence and relative abundance, particularly at urban sites.
An application of the I3 framework to rat control in New Plymouth (June 2020)
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research produced this report for Towards Predator-Free Taranaki and Taranaki Mounga Project, based on a survey of New Plymouth residents. Survey respondents were asked a series of questions on reducing rat numbers, trapping, their experience trapping rats or their reasons for not doing so.
The report found widespread support for an urban rat trapping programme and concluded personal contact is likely to be the most effective means of promoting and implementing it.