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Rat plague threatens South Island birds |
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Sunday, 30 July 2006 |
Rat plague threatens South Island birds
Endangered birds in the South Island are under threat from a rat plague triggered by huge numbers of beech seed.
Department of Conservation Operation Ark co-ordinator Richard
Suggate said the growing rat numbers were posing an immediate threat to
endangered birds and bats.
"We are currently experiencing a 'super beech mast', following a high
density and fertility of beech seed produced over summer across the
South Island," Mr Suggate said.
"The last time we had one of these at a similar level was in the double
beech mast years of 2000 and 2001, which led (to) a huge explosion of
pests.
"Large numbers of mohua and kakariki were lost out of many sites," he said.
"We don't want that to happen again. We need to knock the rats down
before the birds start breeding in the spring as they are extremely
vulnerable when sitting on their nests."
Mr Suggate said control operations had recently started in four sites
to protect yellowheads, orange-fronted parakeets and short-tailed bats
over winter.
Operation Ark was established in 2003 and has an annual budget of $1.2 million to manage ten sites in the South Island.
Birds, bats, stoats and rats will be monitored over the next six months to determine the success of the operations. |
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