13WALK SHORTS
CONSERVATIONISTS ARE
anticipating a “disaster year” for preda-
tors, with the biggest mast in 45 years
on the horizon.
The mega-mast is predicted to affect
more than 90 per cent of the country’s
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The resulting seeds will generate a
boom in pests, which will predate native
birds when the seeds are gone with
potentially devastating consequences.
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lion predator control programme for
2019/2020 – its largest ever.
“If we don’t act, we could lose popula-
tions of bird species like our tree-hole
nesting orange-fronted parakeet, mohua
and bats, which are so vulnerable to rat
plagues,” conservation minister Eugenie
Sage said.
Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin
Hague said the budget is “sadly inad-
equate”.
“DOC is really pulling out all the stops,
and we applaud them, but they simply
do not have the resources to respond
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don’t have enough experienced people
to help.”
Hague advised extending the season
of aerial 1080 operations until mid-
spring. “We need to signal to chopper
companies it is worthwhile investing in
equipment because mega masts are
going to be a more regular occurrence,”
he said.
Hague expects community predator
control groups are going to be over-
whelmed by pest numbers. “This is the
time for people to get out and help. If
you’re not involved with a community
group, volunteer this spring,” he said.
“In the early stages of the pest explo-
sion, there will be so much food that
pests won’t bother with traps, but whenMega mast to explode
PEST NUMBERS
the food dries up, bait stations are
going to get overwhelmed.”
He recommended community pest
control groups ease off during the
period of heavy seeding, and “double
their efforts” when the seeds dry up.
While mega-masts are disastrous
for pest numbers, on predator-free
conservation land they can lead to
boom times for vulnerable species.
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enjoyed a record season of chicks
this year.
“It’s amazing how much our wildlife
has become synchronised to [mast
events],” Hague said.The pest
explosion
following this
year’s mega
mast could
spell disaster
for native birds