Towards Predator-Free Taranaki - Taranaki Taku Tūranga is a large-scale project aimed at restoring Taranaki’s unique wildlife, plants and protecting the region’s lifestyles and livelihoods by removing introduced predators.
Launched in 2018, the trailblazing project is using the latest trapping techniques, innovation and technology, sharing lessons learned as the country works towards its Predator Free 2050 target.
Led by Taranaki Regional Council, the region-wide project is working with residents, businesses, schools, iwi, environmental and community groups to remove possums, rats and mustelids (stoats, ferrets and weasels) from urban, rural and public land around Taranaki Maunga.
The shared vision is to see abundant and diverse native wildlife and plants flourishing in Taranaki in the absence of introduced predators, which are one of the greatest threats to Taranaki’s biodiversity, lifestyles and livelihoods; particularly in tourism and primary industries.
Taranaki has unique advantages because of its relatively compact geography, its regional and national expertise in biodiversity and predator control, and strong community collaboration and enthusiasm at all levels.
Towards Predator-Free Taranaki - Taranaki Taku Tūranga is building on the community’s successful biodiversity work, including the Self-Help Possum Programme, Riparian Management Programme and protection of key native ecosystems.
And it’s already getting results. Native wildlife lost to parts of Taranaki, like kiwi and the North Island Robin, are returning for the first time in decades due to intensive predator control. You can read our latest Annual Report Summary (2019-20) here.
But we’re only just getting started. Towards Predator-Free Taranaki - Taranaki Taku Tūranga is a long-term goal, with short-term benefits that will accelerate as predator control expands around the mountain.
The support of our community is crucial to success of the project – if we all work together, we know it can be done.
Objectives
In the first 10 years, the project’s objectives are to:
- Significantly reduce possum and rat numbers within urban areas by 2025.
- Demonstrate successful predator control on rural land.
- Prove that possums can be eradicated in targeted locations.
Phases of work
Phases of work planned for the first 10 years:
- Urban predator control: Trapping in backyards, public parks and reserves is expanding, led by strong community engagement. Starting in the New Plymouth district, it will eventually cover the entire region.
- Rural: suppression of mustelids (stoats, ferrets, weasels) at landscape scale. Trialling new trapping and reporting technology.
- Restore Kaitake zero-possum project: testing new research and predator control techniques to eliminate possums in Oākura and Kaitake, restoring biodiversity. Once the zero-possum goal is reached, work will continue to maintain this and prevent incursions.
Funding
The long-term project is funded for the first five years by the Crown-owned Predator Free 2050 Ltd, the Taranaki Regional Council and Taranaki’s community. We will see results faster, improving our ecosystems, economy and biodiversity, the more funding we can obtain.
What is Trap.NZ?
If you’re trapping at home, register with the online database Trap.NZ, via its website or app. Then record all your catches and also your trap checks (even when nothing has been caught). This makes Trap.NZ a source of valuable data tracking the region’s efforts and identifying gaps.