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Hi folks,
3,500 pests removed in 2019
Total pests removed 6,139
https://kppc.kiwi
Here's our latest stats:
- 243 properties/areas being trapped - 121 active trappers
- 1,476 traps and bait stations
- 6,139 pests removed
 2,427 mice- 2,245 rats
- 651 mynas
- 429 possums
- 191 rabbits
- 73 hedgehogs
- 64 stoats
- 33 weasels
- 27 feral cats
A huge thank you to all our awesome trappers out there :)
Keep those catch reports rolling in!
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Thirsty kiwi
 Take a moment to watch this kiwi slaking it's thirst from a trough a week or so back. He/she actually climbs right in and out, then spent some minutes drinking.
It is REALLY important that kiwi are able to climb out of water supplies like troughs, baths, ponds etc. If they have a tall, smooth slippery surface kiwi can get stuck and drown. Build a rock ramp so they can exit safely.
Putting water out for them will help them make it through this dry summer!
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New road signage
We got four new signs up in September, illuminated with solar lights - a huge thank you to the NZ Kiwi Foundation for the funding!
Unbelievably, some miserable bugger has flogged the solar lights off two of the signs! The lights will be replaced, higher, stronger...
Our road toll ended the year at 7, last year was 6.
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Second avoidance training session - once isn't enough
 Sunday February 16th Lesley Baigent will be holding another aversion training session locally for our dogs.
Open to all dogs that live on the peninsula.
Those who have been before, really important to do the follow up training regularly. New dogs welcome.
To book, email dean@kppc.kiwi
We are looking for a new venue (can't be the same place twice) if you have parking and easy access native bush on your property please get in touch!
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Rescued baby kiwi released back into Rangitane Reserve
 This wee gal had an interesting start to life.
- A disturbed nest
- Her egg just starting to hatch
- A mercy dash to the Bird Recovery centre in Whangarei
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Download A Practical Guide to Trapping
 Predator Free 2050 / DoC have put out this guide and it's awesome!
- The right baits
- Know your predator - home ranges, identification, habitat, behaviour, and the threats each one pose.
- Plus a truckload of other really good info.
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Trapping the Rangitane Stream
 We've been helping Friends of Rangitane Stream set up pest control on both sides of the Rangitane Stream recently.
There's now 175 traps in place from Skudders Beach to Purerua Rd. helping protect some very cool endangered native river birds.
In just over two months approx 250 pests have been removed including 100 possums!
Friends of Rangitane Stream have been doing fantastic work there for a long time planting natives trees and shrubs and weeding the stream edges.
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Baby kowhai poking their heads up in Akeake Reserve
 A team of folk collected kowhai seed this year and put them in the ground in Akeake Reserve. Around 1000 seeds went in and we've been able to count 100 bubbas poking their head up. Fingers crossed they make it through the dry summer!
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Guidelines for dog owners living in a kiwi zone
 We've added a guidelines page on our website!
It's a huge responsibility to own a dog in a kiwi zone,
so here's some suggestions for ensuring our dogs never meet a kiwi... have a read here
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Kukupa days...
Deb and I keep a diary next to our picture window here in Opito Bay. Each day we see kukupa we note it down. Doesn't matter how many we see each day.
So far we've seen them 149 days vs 57 same time last year and 46 the year before. Yay :)
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Apart from trapping, what else can we do?
 We've made a list! You'll need a cup of tea and a lie down after reading through this lot :)
Food trees to plant, weeds to bust, ideas for making your property invertebrate friendly. Get involved in annual kiwi call counts, five minute bird counts, job share a trap line, collect native tree seed for restoring the reserves...
Full details here: https://kppc.kiwi/what-you-can-do.html
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Our catch graphs - check em out...
 This is a graph of an 8 week average of our total catches over the past two years.
There's a truckload of graphs updated weekly on our home page if you're interested, rats vs mice, mustelids, possums, catches by property, the whole horror show :)
View the catch reports and graphs here
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Want to win one of these?
Keep those catch reports rolling in and you're in the draw ;)
 Recent winners:
July - Kimberly Soanes
August - Peter Honeyfield
September - Vicky and Will
October - Fleur Corbett
November - Chris Owen
December - Helene Fugler
Just email your catches regularly to KPPC at dean@kppc.kiwi
End of each month we'll put all the catch reports in a hat and draw one out.
If it's you that gets drawn, we'll deliver a genuine Lynda Harris NZ native bird mug to your doorstep.
Doesn't get any better than that does it?
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Feeding the birds - plant natives
 It's planting season! NRC put out this fantastic downloadable booklet on native trees and plants.
- What native trees are the best food for kereru / tui / silvereye
- Which trees possum most like to eat!
- Growth rates / final heights / what conditions each species prefers
The cheat sheet is:
Best food for kereru: taraire, karaka, nikau and puriri.
Best food for tui/silvereye: flax, kowhai, kahikatea, kohekohe, puriri, pohutukakwa and rewarewa
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What flavour rat did you catch?
 When submitting your catch reports, it would be useful information to know what type of rat you have caught. We've posted an article on our blog to help with identification.
The cheat sheet is:
Ship Rat (climbers) - tail longer than head and body, ears fold over eyes.
Norway Rat (swimmers) - tail shorter than head and body, ears don't fold over eyes.
Read the full article here
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We're on Crackbook!
Our numbers are starting to crank up just a bit - 176 followers! Please help us out, if you use Facebook, jump on and like our page. It'll help spread the word about the project and hopefully more folks will end up with traps in their backyards. That'll be good for the birds, bugs and plants - yay.
Just click on the trap below...
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Please keep the catch reports coming in...
It's important to be able to report on our progress to our funders, so please visit the site and hit the report a catch button to keep the system updating :)
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