What's New?

Topics discussed included:

 

•    Rabbit Control Proposal

 

•   Speed and Traffic Count Data

 

•   Water Upgrade Project

 

•   Rubbish and Dog Bins

 

•   Defib Signage

 

•   Playground Disabled Access Issue

The latest Ratepayers Association meeting was held at the community hall on

August 7th, commencing at 10am, Download minutes below.

 

Omori Kuratau Pest Management Update

Omori/Kuratau Pest Management Group Report. July 2020 Tallies for July 2020 July was supposed to be a quiet month – normally around the 30-35 rats but we set an all time July rat record this July. July Totals as follows: Rats = 55. (35 last year) Mice = 13. (21 last year) Mustelids = 3 (3 last year) Feral Cats = 0 (1 last year) Rabbits = 12 (1 last year) Hedgehogs = 2 (0 last year) And as predicted we certainly do have a possum problem. Possums = 10 (0 last year) To illustrate the current possum problem we have –since February this year we have taken out 48 possums in total (34 of these in the last 3 months). This compares to our entire previous yearly average of 5-7 possums. This problem has been amplified by their now total rejection of our A12 Goodnature traps. The only hopeful bright spot has been the success of our ‘apple only bait’ Timms traps. All possums have been taken out by the Timms traps which we bait with slices of apple. Apart from the odd rabbit, no other predators are interested in the Timms traps - thus confirming the advice we were given by DoC that by using an apple only bait, the trap would not attract cats. It may be wise to point this out to interested people in case there are doubting Thomases out there who think we are targeting cats. It’s an on-going problem at the moment but we are continuing to get the possum numbers under control again to protect our vegetation and native bush from severe damage and protect our invertebrates such as weta and native snails - all of which they eat. Possums are particularly severe on our native birds and have been filmed eating the eggs, chicks and even adults of birds such as kereru, kiwi, harrier hawk, fantail, mutton bird and tui. They also eat the nectar and berries that our native birds also like to eat meaning there is less food for our birds. Let’s get those possums under control! Download July Totals pdf. Cheers Russell Shaw Omori Kuratau Pest Management Co-ordinator.

KURATAU OMORI PRESERVATION SOCIETY NEWS