Pest Monitoring Programme

Transcription

1 Pest Monitoring Programme Volunteer Information Booklet

2 Kaipupu Pest Monitoring Programme Welcome Firstly, thank you for taking time to read more about the Kaipupu Pest Monitoring Programme! Kaipupu Point Sounds Wildlife Sanctuary is a community project to create a safe haven for wildlife. At the heart of this community effort are hundreds of locals and visitors who have fallen in love with this beautiful headland of coastal bush, and want to help make this sanctuary for wildlife a reality. The purpose of the Kaipupu Pest Monitoring Programme (KPMP) is to ensure Kaipupu remains as pest free as possible. In future, the data you gather while monitoring will help us gain permits that will allow the introduction of new species to Kaipupu. Volunteers are the backbone of the KPMP, spending hours of their own time monitoring and logging information vital to the success of Kaipupu. The following information has been complied to give you an idea of what is involved in pest monitoring and will provide you with other important information about our programme. All the information in this welcome pack is downloadable from our website: If you wish to contact someone regarding our programme then you can do so by contacting the following people: James Wilson Amiria Perry Or us at kaipupupestmonitoring@gmail.com

3 Do you have what it takes to be a volunteer? To be a volunteer you must be reliable. Volunteers should also have a reasonable level of fitness as some of our trails are steep with some monitoring stations in odd places! We do have a range of tracks though, and our wider main Loop Track would suit someone wanting an easier walk. We have compiled information, such as walking times and difficulty, on each track which is available in the Track Information section of this booklet. What does monitoring on Kaipupu involve? Currently Kaipupu has 15 tracks which have monitoring stations on them. We use three types of monitoring apparatus; tracking tunnels with ink cards, wax tags and sand boxes. A wax tag or tunnel is placed approximately every 50m along every track, each station is labelled and corresponds to your track checklist to ensure you don t miss anything. On their chosen tracks volunteers will be checking each monitoring station for damage and signs of pests, replacing tunnel cards and wax tags as needed. On occasion we resort to using poison to reduce the mouse population which means you may have to deal with poison pellets in bait stations. There is a need for constant volunteering to maintain the regular monitoring and subsequent trapping of any pests discovered. Currently we are intensively monitoring with stations on all tracks needing to be checked on a regular basis. How long does it take to monitor a track? The length of time you spend on site entirely depends on which tracks you choose to monitor. It is possible to monitor a couple of the shorter tracks in less than 20 minutes. Some of the longer trails can take up to 3 hours. What will you need to take with you when volunteering? You will need to bring your own: 1. Small pack 2. Suitable footwear (something with grip!) 3. Appropriate clothing 4. A small torch (may come in also handy as looking into some tunnels can be quite dark) 5. A camera if monitoring the M track (main loop track) All other monitoring gear is stored in the shed on-site. There is a checklist in the shed to remind you of the things you will need to borrow from the storage shed prior to your walk. Please remember to return all borrowed gear for the next volunteer! SAFETY: You are responsible for your own safety while on Kaipupu. Please ensure you inform a friend or family member of your days intentions so they can ensure you are out safely. Take your phone so you can make an emergency call if needed. If you feel something is unsafe then do not proceed with your monitoring.

4 KAIPUPU PEST MONITORING APPARATUS TRACKING TUNNEL A tracking tunnel is a small black plastic tunnel with wire pins holding it onto the ground. A removable card with an inked centre is inserted into the tunnel. A small dab of peanut butter is placed on the inked part of the card to attract pests. As an animal wanders in to eat the peanut butter their paws pick up the ink leaving a footprint trail as they leave the tunnel. Tunnels are individually numbered- this number corresponds to your track checklist. Using this number you can log where you have found a damaged or marked card and other information you feel is relevant. Please ensure you fill your cards out when you remove AND replace cards. All marked/damaged cards must be kept, filled in CORRECTLY and dropped into the data collection box for pick up and further inspection. WAX TAGS A wax tag is a small orange tag with a wax end. Wax tags are usually nailed a foot or so off the ground to a tree. Out of curiosity an animal will sometimes nibble on the wax leaving their teeth marks as evidence. Wax tags are all numbered. If you find a chewed wax tag please remove and replace; you will need to re-number your new tag to match the tag which was previously there. All marked/damaged tags must be kept and dropped off into the data drop off box by the entrance gate for pick up and further inspection.

5 SAND BOXES Sand boxes are used on trails to monitor for larger animals such as cats. Footprints will be left in the sand as animals pass over it. Sand boxes should be lightly raked so sand is loose and any prints in sand logged and reported on your track checklist. Sandboxes are located on our main loop trail. identify footprints. It is a good idea to take a camera when monitoring sandboxes so you can pass the photo over to someone who is able to correctly BAIT STATIONS Secured close to the ground these stations contain 5 fresh poison pellets which target rats and mice. See procedure for bait stations later in this booklet. TRAPS AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST: TUNNEL TRAPS These consist of a black plastic tracking tunnel with a rat trap placed at the back end of the tunnel. We use these as they are light weight and able to be carried easily unassembled to their desirable location.

6 DOC 200 (wooden box style trap) DOC 200 s have been set out along the tracks. If we have a rat scare we will need to check the appropriate traps to ensure they are set, baited and ready to go. These traps are usually managed by another party so please do not disturb unless advised otherwise. CAGES Cages are used to catch larger predators such as cats. Please do not set any cages without prior permission. GOOD NATURE TRAPS Good nature traps are self setting gas powered traps maintained by our volunteer swat team. BIRD COUNTING STATIONS A passionate group of individuals monitor the birdlife on Kaipupu, this is fantastic as it helps indicate how pest control is affecting the bird populations. We hope to see their numbers increase with the extermination of predators. As you walk you may notice blue triangle markers, these indicate a bird counting station. PENGUIN BOXES Penguin boxes have been placed around Kaipupu to house the local little blue populations.

7 HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR TRACK CHECKLIST A track checklist is used to record your findings while monitoring. There is a checklist for each and every track on Kaipupu. Please ensure you take checklists for the tracks you plan to monitor from the shed before you start. Track checklists must be filled out correctly and completely! This is important as the records you provide on your checklist are input directly into our online pest database and any information that is missing or incorrect could affect the way in which we eradicate pests. Limited information is needed in your checklists- we only want you to log the name of the animal which has left its foot prints, chewed a tag, or in some other way disturbed a monitoring station. If a station is undisturbed then put a tick to indicate it was located and checked. The notes section is for any other information you wish to provide. If unable to ID prints or chew then just write unsure please don t guess!!! A perfect example would be: TRACK R Date: 1/1/13 Volunteer: Jilly and Matt R01 TUNNEL Mouse, Rat, Ants. R02 TUNNEL Weka R03 WAX _ RO4 TUNNEL Unsure NOTES: Weka pulled card from R02 which needed to be replaced as it was soaking wet. A small tree has fallen on track near summit which needs to be removed it s blocking the path! I am unsure of prints on R04, possible stoat prints? Identifying footprints and chew gets easier as you go along. Footprint examples and a What made these tracks booklet are available in the shed for you to look at. If unsure just ask us! All checklists must be kept and dropped off into the data drop off box by the entrance gate for pick up and further inspection.

8 RAT TRAPPING PROCEDURE THE RAT SWAT TEAM Rat tracks and chew have been found on multiple monitoring stations around Kaipupu. Rats have a major impact on Kaipupu s wildlife; they eat birds, their eggs and chicks, lizards, and invertebrates. They also compete with native wildlife for food by eating a wide range of native fruits. Control methods for rats include trapping, poisoning and the use of predator proof fences. On Kaipupu, our predator proof fence keeps rats from crossing land to get onto the sanctuary. However rats can swim, so we have monitoring stations set up, all over the sanctuary, to detect rat invasion from the water. Currently Kaipupu has about 15 tracks equipped with monitoring stations. 3 types of monitoring apparatus are used; tracking tunnels with ink cards, wax tags and sand boxes. These monitoring stations will tell us if rats have reached the sanctuary. If pests are detected, traps are strategically placed and baited with specific lures by our dedicated RAT SWAT team. What to do if you identify rat tracks in a monitoring tunnel or rat chew on a wax tag: 1. Remove wax tag or ink card, fill out ink card, and write Rat on your track checklist. 2. If you have a cell phone on you, contact the RAT SWAT leader (LEE MCPHAIL ) and advise her of your find. It is important that the SWAT team knows about rat sign as soon as possible, and they will always have traps set within the first 12 hours of a rat-sign sighting. Alternatively ensure Amiria or James are informed at the end of your day. 3. Note on track checklist that you have contacted the SWAT team. 4. Replace wax tag or ink card, baited with peanut butter, so we can continue to monitor. Please do not move, set or re-bait any traps. This job is left specifically to our rat swat team. If you feel they need to know about anything then let Amiria, James or Lee know at the end of your day. RAT SWAT volunteers are part of an on call, flexible and dedicated team. To become a SWAT member please contact Amiria or James via kaipupupestmonitoring@gmail.com.

9 BAIT STATIONS - MONITORING PROCEDURE Bait stations target rats and mice, these stations hold 5x poison pellets. Although we would prefer not to use poison this is a relatively safe and fast way to control mouse/rat populations. Bait stations are located near the current monitoring stations (wax tags and tunnels) that already exist, as well as an extra bait station in-between. Our aim is to keep mice populations to a low level thus ensuring the invertebrate population can thrive. While the bait stations are in place monitoring of the tunnels and wax tags cease- instead we will be monitoring how many pellets are being taken from the bait stations. One of these pellets is able to kill a rat, a lesser amount for a mouse. We need prove we are rat free for 2 years before attempting to apply for permits that will allow the reintroduction of species to Kaipupu. Certain species also require lower mouse population levels. Instructions on how to monitor a bait station and what equipment you need while monitoring these stations is as follows: 1. Ensure you have all the gear you need: track checklist, hammer, nails, fresh poison, zip-lock bag for old poison (do not drop onto ground or throw into sea!), and a phone in case of emergency. 2. Check every station: There should be 5 pellets in each station, note how many pellets are missing on your track checklist. 3. Ensure station is as accessible to a rat/mouse as possible (near ground, stable, entrance not blocked by plants etc) 4. Replace any missing or damaged pellets. Pellets must be DRY and UNDAMAGED or they will not perform correctly. You do not need to make of note of how many damaged pellets there were. Dispose of any damaged pellets into poison bin at shed and drop with your checklist into the data drop off box by the entrance gate for pick up and further inspection.

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11 TRACK INFORMATION- ring us if you feel lost or are unsure of where to go! A Steep track at start, gets easier and leads to summit. Ropes installed where needed. Follows an old fence line. Consists of 10 monitoring stations. 20min moderate walk. Rope installed at steep section. B Steep track, would recommend descending upon return from another track. Ropes installed where needed. Links to track A. Consists of 6 monitoring stations. 15min moderate walk. Rope installed at steep section. W Western side of coastal walking loop. Starts near fence down from base of A track, links around to C track. *The track disconnects slightly at the Jetty (break anyone?) but it is easy to find the re-entry point if you have a look just up from where you came out of the first section. C Eastern side of coastal walking loop. Requires moderate/high level of fitness. The asiest way to enter this track is by walking down W track near base of G track. Once down, turn right and you will find the first monitoring station listed on your checklist. D Standard track, start/end of trail marked by an old cut-down tree stump near summit. Consists of 9 monitoring stations. 20min walk. K Short track, steeper in mid section. Links D05 to M26 L Two roped sections, warning during wet weather. Slippery. Links D09 to M25. E Eastern track, links to track G near a tunnel at the summit. Track can get slippery but moderate in difficulty. From top it drops down, passing through Beech forest, to meet the main loop track near a seat. Consists of 10 monitoring stations. 20min walk. F Bottom of track starts from grassy part of Main loop track. Steep, rope installed for climbing. 20 minute walk up. This track passes the trail heads of trail H and I, continuing to the summit and head of track G. Consists of 9 monitoring stations. 20min walk. G A predominant track leading to summit marked with a seat (donated by J+S Palmer) just off main loop track. An old tree stump marks meeting points of track D and G, carry on up towards summit to complete your monitoring of G. Consists of 11 monitoring stations. 20min walk. H Track linking to F. Reasonably short compared with the other tracks. Consists of 3 monitoring stations. 10min walk. I Track linking to F. Reasonably short compared with the other tracks. Consists of 4 monitoring stations. 15min walk. J ASCEND ONLY! Steep track with a couple of ropes installed to help you out. Starts near seat (positioned in shade near small stream) on main loop track. Links from F to M. M Main LOOP track, easy. Please ensure tunnels and tags are checked to and from the Jetty and down to the access gate near the logging yard! Consists of approximately 77 monitoring stations including sand box tracking pits. Takes about 2 hours. 0 Joins A track to F track. Caution for stinging nettle 40m on F side of clearing! Links F05 to A07. P Outside predator proof fence- our way of monitoring for predators outside the sanctuary.

12 The map above shows the current tracks on Kaipupu Monitoring coverage: Each red dot on this map marks a current monitoring station on Kaipupu, the surrounding green circle shows the monitoring coverage for each individual station. For the monitoring to be effective we need to cover the headland with monitoring stations.

13 KAIPUPU PEST MONITORING PROGRAMME VOLUNTEER INFORMATION DATE: FULL NAME: By entering your you agree to receive s from us regarding the Pest Monitoring Programme. Would you like to also be included on the general Kaipupu ing list as well? (please circle) YES NO HOME PHONE NUMBER: WORK NUMBER: CELLPHONE NUMBER: ADDRESS: EMERGENCY CONTACT NAME: EMERGENCY CONTACT PHONE: RELATIONSHIP TO YOU: WHEN ARE YOU AVALIABLE? (Please list) DO YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL PROBLEMS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC SKILLS YOU THINK MAY BENEFIT OUR GROUP (Eg: Boating experience, trapping experience etc): Our aim is ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time while pest monitoring. If you have any thoughts on how to make something safer or more efficient then let us know and we will do our best to implement your ideas. Thank you! kaipupupestmonitoring@gmail.com ADMIN ONLY: RAT SWAT RESERVE FAMIL DATE INPUT

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