kaki

Captive-rearing of wildlife for release has been used with variable success in the conservation management of a range of species. These programmes protect individuals through a vulnerable life stage with the aim of releasing them to re-enforce wild populations once threats are minimised. To maximise the effectiveness of captive-rearing, species’ managers must understand how management decisions and procedures affect individual outcomes during both the rearing phase and post-release.

We recorded trap site characteristics and captures during a trapping programme designed to protect breeding and released black stilts (kaki, Himantopus novaezelandiae) from predation, in order to learn about trap site features that might improve the efficacy of future predator trapping management. Captures were made at 1629 leg-hold traps opened over 71 333 trap nights between 1998 and 2000, at six locations in the Upper Waitaki Basin, New Zealand. Twelve trap site variables were recorded.