Survey reveals rat problem in Kaipatiki bush

Results of a pest survey reveal a significant rat problem in Kaipatiki’s reserves, apart from where volunteers are trapping.

The Pest Free Kaipatiki ‘‘chew card’’ survey tested the pest populations of 28 reserves and parks in Kaipatiki by smearing old For Sale signs with peanut butter and nailing them to trees.

The science behind it is, when pests bite into the peanut butter, citizen scientists can record what critter is where by their bite marks.

Around 50 volunteers placed chew cards along marked track lines. Three days later, the chew cards were retrieved and taken for analysis.

Auckland Council’s Dr Craig Bishop, from the Research and Evaluation Unit (RIMU), shared the results with volunteers at Birkdale Hall on August 24.

From the chew cards analysed, 39 per cent had rat bites, while only 7 per cent had possum bites.

Bishop said the bites on the cards reveal a high incidence of rats in native bush reserves, particularly around streams.

The level of rats is higher than for most Auckland suburbs, arguably due to Kaipatiki’s high proportion of native bush without adequate predator control.

However, there were noticeably lower numbers of rats where reserves had a pest control programme, such as Tuff Crater, Bishop said.

While Castleton Reid, Chelsea Heritage Estate and the Golf Course had possum chew marks all along the cards, the rest of the data from Kaipatiki showed lowto-no presence of possums.

The survey will be conducted annually for the next decade to measure whether the Pest Free Kaipatiki project is winning its war against pest populations with its rat and possum-trapping schemes.

Pest Free Kaipatiki engagement coordinator Pam Templeton said the chew card survey is the first step, creating a ‘‘baseline’’, which will identify key problems areas and allow those involved to monitor progress each year.

A ‘‘Predator Blitz’’ is the next step, targeting rats in September and possums in November, Templeton said.

Training and support will be given to all volunteers willing to help with rat trapping.

Become a volunteer by contacting info@pestfreekaipatiki. org.nz.

For more results pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz. visit

SUPPLIED/FIONA SMAL Volunteer Dennis Worley was one of 50 volunteers to nail chew cards into Kaipatiki’s reserves.