Rangers Report Summer 25/26

This report covers December 2025–February 2026.

Key points:

• An analysis of annual trapping and camera detection data illustrates a clear shift in catch rates for certain species over the past four years.

• Our regular toxin program was put on hold in late 2025 to allow rodents to breed over summer – we will use these as vectors for mustelid control.

• At the beginning of February, we farewelled Kees and Fern who set off on the adventure of a lifetime.

• This summer, we’ve welcomed Skye Donovan to fill Kees and Fern’s ranger position; Amie Redpath, Wendy Bown and Nate McDonald (former ranger) as causal track clearers; and Pete Mitchell (former head ranger) as the new contractor liaison.

• Stephanie Tong from the Northland Regional Council helped us plan a presence/absence survey for pekapeka/long-tailed bats and analysed the data for us – unfortunately there were no detections, but survey limitations may warrant future surveys.

• We had a successful ōi/grey-faced petrel season with 10 chicks presumed fledged, and a stoat was caught at burrow site A in December.

• A drone survey was completed in December by local Murray Brock from Culture Drones. The survey coincided with the moth plant flowering period.

• The nursery has been humming along over summer with a wide range of volunteers getting stuck in. We have ~7500 plants pricked out in the shade house reading for the winter planting season to come.