TARA ITI PEST CONTROL BEST PRACTICES

The Shorebirds Trust has partnered with Boffa Miskell and Department of Conservation (DOC) tara iti (NZ Fairy Tern) Recovery Group (TRG) to develop standard predator control practices that will be adopted by DOC rangers, wardens, volunteers, landowners and community organizations. Reference “Predator Control Best Practices”

Tara iti (NZ fairy tern) is one of New Zealand’s rarest endemic bird species with around 40 individuals and only 8-10 breeding pairs remaining. Once widespread, tara iti is now confined to four known breeding sites on the coast of North Auckland; Mangawhai, Pakiri, Papakanui Spit and Waipu. Its conservation status is therefore listed as “Threatened – Nationally Critical”.

Predation are amongst the primary threats to the successful management of the Tara iti. It is crucial that effective predator control occurs at all sites known to be important for tara iti, and that this control consistently meets current best practice.

The purpose of this best practice manual is to provide standardised control and monitoring protocols to improve the protection of tara iti against predation as part of tara iti management programmes, specifically focussing on the effective control of introduced mammalian predators.

This Best Practice manual covers:

·       Key sites for predator control;

·       Species information on the predators targeted for control;

·       Control methods and protocols;

·       Predator monitoring;

·       Prey control and monitoring (rabbits and hares); Data management and reporting;
and

·       Annual auditing of predator control protocols, as per this manual.