Making News

Links to news stories and involved industry groups

Predator Free 2050 Ltd announces $4.8m for new tech and new jobs

Thanks to funding from the Government’s Jobs for Nature Mahi mō te Taiao programme, Predator Free 2050 Limited (PF2050 Ltd) has today announced $4.8 million in funding for seven companies developing predator eradication tools and ‘best practice’ for their use, while creating and supporting jobs.

https://pf2050.co.nz/news/pred...   

eTrapper gratefully acknowledges PF2050 Ltd for their support to bring Baitsense to market.

TV, Radio & Video

- A 2 min news clip from TVNZ on tutu, a native plant, a potential alternative to 1080 poison used to target rats. February 2020. 

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/potential-alternative-1080-poison-found-new-zealand-researchers


- A 2 min news clip from TVNZ, on Kakī release in the MacKenzie basin and the additional predator measures undertaken to protect the birds. August 2019.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kak-release-follows-ramping-up-predator-control-in-mackenzie-basin?auto=6071392910001


- A 20 min video from TVNZ, as featured in their SUNDAY program, discusses current status of Predator suppression activities in fighting a Mega Mast situation. June 2019.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/s...


- Forest & Bird conference June 2019: Kevin Hague closing address, 28 min youtube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5HJT1iktI 


- Radio NZ article: 'Mega mast' prompts biggest ever DOC 1080 drops, Jan 2019.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/379815/mega-mast-prompts-biggest-ever-doc-1080-drops

Stuff.co.nz

1080 or no 1080? Department of Conservation’s forest canopy results are in.....      7 August 2024

Flying high is helping the Department of Conservation get the lowdown on possum control work in the Coromandel - and confirming the efficiency of the controversial 1080 pest control poison.

https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/350370226/1080-or-no-1080-department-conservations-forest-canopy-results-are?cx_testId=3&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=3&utm_source=localised_module#cxrecs_s

Miramar volunteers trap lone stoat invader  ........ 8 July 2024

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350334693/miramar-volunteers-trap-lone-stoat-invader/?utm_source=stuff_article&utm_medium=referral

- 1080 drop completed...   3 July 2024   https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/350328366/1080-drop-completed-waitutu-forest-after-beech-mast

    

- Cat fences and the rise of the 'cat containment' industry   17 October 2022

Australia has got tough on cats ravaging its wildlife, and New Zealand is beginning to get the benefit as “cat containment” technology is imported here.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/busine...


- Giant feral cats are 'absolute muscle' from dining out on the best native wildlife, 02 Sept 2022

As giant, feral cats ravage Canterbury wildlife, conservationists are pushing for a national policy on cats.

Forest and Bird estimates there are 2.5 million feral cats in New Zealand, about double the number of domestic cats, and in Canterbury, a pest controller says they are at “plague” levels.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/enviro...


- A new generation lays a cloak over Remutaka Forest Park, 23 April 2022

The newly announced Hem of Remutaka restoration project was on Thursday granted $1.56 million from the Government’s Jobs for Nature fund, which will kick-start a three-year project to restore coastal and wetland landscapes east and south of the Remutaka ranges, and create 19.5 full-time jobs.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/enviro...

- Massive effort to eliminate pests from Banks Peninsula, March 2022

The first traps went live last Monday, launching the ambitious plan to rid Banks Peninsula and Kaitōrete Spit of predators by 2050.   

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-pr...


- Fish and Game cancel cat cull competition.  20 April 2021

An online backlash against a competition encouraging people to kill feral cats has resulted in the plan being cancelled.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/enviro...

- Predator Free Wellington gets $7.6m funding boost. 7 Sept 2020.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage’s announced a major funding injection for Wellington’s predator-free vision on Monday. The additional $7.6m investment over the next five years was expected to create 42 new jobs....

https://www.stuff.co.nz/enviro...


- Cameras, peanut butter and 'Disneyland for rats' could finalise eradication from Miramar.  20 July 2020

Predator Free Wellington (PFW) has declared two large urban areas in Miramar Peninsula “rat free” after months of trapping, tracking and now filming the rats.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/122165445/cameras-peanut-butter-and-disneyland-for-rats-could-finalise-eradication-from-miramar


- 6 Kea part of Conservation Trust study group found dead near Wānaka, following an aerial 1080 predator control operation in Otago. March 2020.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/119941884/six-kea-found-dead-in-matukituki-valley-near-wanaka

Related articles from 2019 and 2009;

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/116727401/kea-in-crosshairs-of-1080-operations-ahead-of-mega-mast-rodent-buffet

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/1385259/1080-solution-to-avert-kea-deaths


- Wild weather puts dent in Arthur's Pass mouse plague. December 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/118407270/wild-weather-puts-dent-in-arthurs-pass-mouse-plague


- Miramar likely to become first predator-free urban area in the world by New Year. November 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/117534823/miramar-likely-to-become-first-predatorfree-urban-area-in-the-world-by-new-year?cid=app-iPhone=


- Hundreds of dead rats on Buller beach following heavy rain. November 2019

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/117300105/hundreds-of-dead-rats-on-buller-beach-following-a-1080-drop


- Hedgehogs and mustelids a big menace in the Mackenzie Basin. September 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/115672635/hedgehogs-and-mustelids-a-big-menace-in-the-mackenzie-basin


- Tūi are taking over Hamilton with a 25-fold increase in counts of the native birds. August 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/114750555/halo-project-sees-25-fold-increase-in-t-numbers  


- Natureland Tuatara died from secondary rat poisoning. July 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nation... 

- St Heliers rats: Pests burrowing under boardwalk and living in bus stop roof. July 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/114117391/st-heliers-rats-pests-burrowing-under-boardwalk-and-living-in-bus-stop-roof


- Aerial 1080 to drop in lower South Island. July 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/114281665/aerial-1080-to-drop-in-lower-south-island-as-rat-plague-threatens-endangered-bird-population

 

- Two related issues; Monster rats' in Wellington the size of small possums and Mt Albert infested with rats, note first article contains short 45 sec video. June 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/113720739/monster-rat-trend-catches-on-as-wellington-residents-kill-rats-the-size-of-small-possums#comments

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/113731048/aucklands-mt-albert-infested-with-rats-locals-say


- DOC to launch huge predator control programme in response to 'mega mast’, contains short 90 sec video. April 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/111880511/department-of-conservation-to-undertake-huge-predator-control-programme-in-response-to-mega-mast


NZ Herald

- Te Puke Primary School ...... 12 August 2024

The STEM Wana Trust has teamed up with the Bay of Plenty Conservation Alliance and Predator Free Bay of Plenty to teach about pests and predators in the New Zealand bush.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/te-puke-times/stem-in-the-community-coming-to-te-puke-primary-school/SEEKNQ3OTNHU7J5W76XOFGLZXM/

- Rotorua iwi group gets funding help to continue wallaby eradication work.... 9 August 2024  

A Rotorua iwi group has been given $30,000 to continue its wallaby eradication work.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-iwi-group-gets-funding-help-to-continue-wallaby-eradication-work/UTOZ4PHUQJGF3BXHLZYCUGAPNY/

- Nearly 400 cats killed ....  2 July 2024     

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/nearly-400-cats-killed-in-controversial-north-canterbury-competition/JMR635NPPZDT7MFKBDTX57MUEI/

New 1080 study busts 'silent forest' myth.   7 Feb 2021

Researchers have debunked a common claim that 1080 poison drops silence birdsong in New Zealand's pest-plagued forests.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/...


- NZ's predator-free dream on path to failure without new tech.  1 Feb 2021

New Zealand's dream to be pest-free by 2050 will remain just that - a dream - if new technology like genetic tools aren't thrown into the fight, scientists warn.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/...


Hastings dog owner calls for compulsory leaflet drops after suspicion her pets ate Pindone. 14 August 2020.

A Hastings orchardist whose two dogs ate poison while off-leash .......

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12356278   (paid access) see following for free access to story;  https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/hawkes-bay-today/20200815/281479278775180


DNA breakthroughs bad news for NZ's stoats and rats   8 July 2020

They're two of nature's greatest killers, massacring millions of cherished native birds each year. But now that scientists know their DNA secrets of the stoat and the ship rat, they've got a powerful new codebook to use against them.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12346259


- Not all heroes wear capes': Truckie reunited with kiwi he rescued from a stoat   14 June 2020.

A truckie who jumped down from his cab to rescue a kiwi from the jaws of a stoat in a remote part of north Taranaki last year..............

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12339685


- Six dead kea: Birds likely died from 1080, says DoC. A Massey University post-mortem has found six kea in the Matukituki Valley of the Aspiring National Park ''are likely'' to have died from 1080 toxin.    12 March 2020.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12316259


- NZ's great pest-free quest: can we get there? The Predator Free 2050 strategy, sets out a basic structure for the ambitious mission, while an accompanying action plan focuses on work for the next five years.   9 March 2020.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12314906


- Why tiny mice pose a big headache for NZ's war on pests. January 2020

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12301851


- Rats galore: Rodents run riot .... December 2019

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12296010


- Dog owners warned after potential poisoned rats wash up on beaches. November 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12283916


- New Zealand's big pest bust: how do we kill the last survivors ? October 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12272687


- Man giving away 300 traps at Napier Soundshell this weekend in bid to make Hawke's Bay predator free. September 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12266789


- 88 cats euthanised by Auckland Council since March - the culling of cats found without microchips in "ecologically sensitive areas" of the Auckland region. August 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12260599


- Record rat numbers in Waitākere Ranges raise fears for kōkako. August 2019. 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12258858 


- Russell campground top predator-free spot. August 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=12256656


- Climate change's 'thermal squeeze' - predators and climate change - hurting our birds. July 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12249836


- Brazen cat-sized rodents causing headaches for Titirangi residents, 2 stories from June 2019.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/...  

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/...   


- NZ's natural born killers: Inside our war on stoats. June 2018.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12064227



INDUSTRY GROUPS

DOC

DOC is the Government agency charged with conserving New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage.

DOC's vision is for New Zealand to be the greatest living space on Earth | Kāore he wāhi i tua atu i a Aotearoa, hei wahi noho i te ao.

Visit their website below to find out more;

www.doc.govt.nz

DOC have also published this very useful guide titled ' A Practical Guide to Trapping' , October 2019

https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/threats-and-impacts/pf2050/pf2050-trapping-guide.pdf

Predator Free 2050

Predator Free 2050 Limited is a Crown-owned, charitable company established to help deliver the New Zealand government’s ambitious goal of eradicating possums, stoats and rats by 2050.

PF2050 provides co-funding to enable predator control and eradication projects at large landscape scale and the breakthrough science needed to underpin them.

www.pf2050.co.nz

Forest & Bird

Forest & Bird is New Zealand’s leading independent conservation organisation — protecting wildlife and wild places, on land and in the sea.

www.forestandbird.org.nz

Ospri NZ

OSPRI is a partnership between primary industries and the government, and manages two national programmes – NAIT and TBfree. NAIT provides the national animal identification and traceability system and TBfree aims to eradicate bovine TB from New Zealand.

https://ospri.co.nz/

Bionet NZ

Bionet connects information about pests and disease in New Zealand in one place. 

The Bionet website was funded to provide best practice biosecurity information for all New Zealanders by connecting information across the biosecurity system. The aim, in support of the government’s Biosecurity 2025 initiative, is to grow New Zealand’s capability in biosecurity, to help protect our country from invasive pests and diseases and to connect together professionals working in the pest management space.

www.bionet.nz

 

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