invasive species

In New Zealand, endemic bat species require conservation management involving suppression of mammalian pest populations to prevent bat population declines. Toxins are frequently used to control mammalian pests; however, lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) are also susceptible to poisoning due to their unique forest floor foraging behaviour and willingness to sample different types of bait. Self-resetting traps may offer a suitable alternative to the use of toxins for control of rats if they do not also present a by-kill risk to bats.

Control of introduced predators is part of the management strategy for many conservation programs. However, when such programs are designed to protect a single species, the benefits to sympatric native species are usually not assessed. We used site occupancy modelling to investigate whether predator control implemented to protect a native bird species (North Island kōkako) in the Hūnua Ranges, New Zealand also benefits the sympatric native Hochstetter’s frog population.