Spring into Conservation: Six simple ways to help nature thrive in your backyard

As the days grow longer and the landscape bursts into life, spring is the perfect time to give back to nature – starting right at home.

Our backyards, gardens, and green spaces can be powerful pockets of conservation. Whether you live in town, near the bush, or beside the river, your actions can support native wildlife and contribute to a healthier environment.

Here are some simple ways to help protect and restore nature this spring:

Spring is planting season! Choose native plants that provide food and shelter for birds, insects, and lizards. Species like harakeke (flax), kōwhai, and mingimingi not only look beautiful but also support local biodiversity through the provision of nectar and berries. 

For more great planting ideas, check out Predator Free NZ’s suggestions!

Tip: Visit your local nursery for eco-sourced native plants suited to your area.

Installing a humane trap, or a few around your property, is a simple but powerful way to help protect our native wildlife. Invasive predators like rats, stoats, and possums pose serious threats to our native species. By reducing their numbers, you’re helping to create a safer environment for birds and other native animals – and you might even start to see more wildlife in your own backyard as a result!

Spring is the perfect time to audit your existing trap network or start a new one with your neighbours. Getting involved in local predator control is a great way to connect with like-minded people and learn from each other.

If you’re in our project area, here are some fantastic groups to get in touch with:

Outside these areas? Visit Predator Free NZ for national resources, advice, and to find groups near you.

Together, we can make a real difference. One trap at a time!

Braided rivers are unique and fragile ecosystems – especially during spring, when many native birds are nesting. Their eggs and chicks are often camouflaged and incredibly vulnerable.

If you’re exploring these areas, please:

  • Stick to marked tracks

  • Keep dogs on leads

  • Avoid driving on riverbeds

Your care can make a big difference in protecting these precious habitats.

Live near a stream or lake? You can help too:

  • Keep chemicals, lawn clippings, and rubbish out of drains

  • Plant native along waterways to reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and create valuable wildlife habitat

If you are a keen birder, spring is also a fantastic time to get involved in local bird surveys!

Encourage moths, butterflies, beetles and other invertebrates into your garden by planting nectar-rich natives and avoiding chemical sprays. Even a small wild corner left untamed can become a haven for insects – which means more food for species like bats and skinks. Check out the Moths & Butterflies New Zealand Trust website and consider completing one of their online courses!

Wasp control is also encouraged as introduced wasps are a serious threat to New Zealand’s wildlife. They compete with birds, bats, lizards and insects for food, like honeydew, and prey on a huge number of native invertebrates – disrupting delicate ecosystems.

You can help by setting up wasp traps in your backyard, planting native species that don’t attract introduced wasps, and report large nests to your local council, Department of Conservation or conservation group.

Leave a pile of logs or rocks in a sunny corner of your garden — they make great hiding spots for lizards and invertebrates. You could even build a wētā hotel!

Many introduced plants can escape gardens and invade natural areas. This spring, take time to remove invasive weeds like broom, old man’s beard, and cotoneaster.

Not sure what’s a weed? Check out the Weedbusters NZ website or talk to your local council.

Every action counts

Conservation isn’t just for wild places, it starts at home. By taking small steps this spring, you’re helping create a region where native wildlife can thrive. Did you know? Increasing biodiversity can really help tackle climate change too – both should be thought of in unison!

Let’s work together for a predator-free, biodiverse future here in Aotearoa 💚

What the Weka?! A surprise sighting in the Rees

Something unexpected popped up on our latest round of predator monitoring in the Rees Valley — a weka!

These remote cameras are part of our ongoing support for the Takahē Recovery Programme, helping to track predator presence in the area. But this time, the lens caught more than just mustelids – it captured a weka. To our knowledge this is the only record of weka in this part of Otago in a very long time and it has us excited!

We’ve checked in with bird experts who reckon it is a western weka and while we can’t say for certain where this adventurous bird has come from, it’s likely it dispersed from the Routeburn area – a significant natural movement, and one of the only known records of a weka in the upper Rees in modern times.

Why this matters

Weka may look bold and robust, but their populations are highly vulnerable. Mainland populations have suffered heavily due to predation, habitat loss and even drought conditions. Their inquisitive nature makes them easy targets for predators, and they’re notoriously tricky to successfully reintroduce.

In fact, since the 1860s, many reintroduction efforts across Aotearoa have failed, with only a few populations establishing successfully. That’s why this single bird sighting is significant – it’s evidence of natural dispersal, which shows promise for species resilience.

Weka are also excellent bioindicators – their presence hints at a healthy habitat with a healthy invertebrate population and low predator pressure. This sighting gives us hope that collaborative, ongoing restoration and predator control efforts in the Rees and surrounding landscapes are having a meaningful impact.

What’s next?

We will be watching closely and will continue to review any footage we collect from the Rees Valley and surrounding areas – who knows, maybe this lone weka is just the beginning! 

It’s small moments like this that remind us why this work matters: helping wild nature find its own way home.

Project Update VII July 2025

Southern Lakes Sanctuary Project Update

Progress in the wild: Our latest project update!

It has been a huge six months across the Sanctuary — and none of it would be possible without the incredible mahi of our partner groups. Together, we’ve been working across some of the most breathtaking corners of the Southern Lakes, welcoming new supporters, expanding our impact and even returning takahē to the Rees Valley.

Thanks to this collective effort, we’re continuing to protect the taonga species and wild places that define this region.

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Makarora Whio

Whio are holding on in the wild headwaters of Makarora — and with the right protection, they’re breeding too.

Since January 2023, Southern Lakes Sanctuary has been undertaking targeted whio (blue duck) surveys across the Makarora catchment — part of a long-term effort to understand and protect this rare river-dwelling species.

These surveys focus on the Blue River (main branch), The Ore and Leven Streams, and both the North and South Young Rivers — forming the southern boundary of our collaborative predator control zone, managed alongside our partner Central Otago Lakes Branch of Forest & Bird.

This area is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive predator control networks in the region, with over 1,500 traps laid across rugged terrain to protect key taonga species including whio, kea, kākā, mohua and pīwauwau. Where rat numbers pose a particular threat — especially to nesting mohua — a second layer of defence is in place: 1,000 bait stations deployed over 550 hectares to suppress rat populations during critical periods.

Tracking whio in a wild landscape

Since the start of the project, 11 dedicated dog-assisted whio surveys have been carried out, helping us understand where whio persist and the habitats they favour. These surveys — along with incidental sightings by SLS staff and Forest & Bird volunteers — have revealed a remarkable picture of survival in this remote, river-strewn environment.

Over a two-year period, 60 individual whio encounters were recorded in the catchment. These include:

  • 24 dog-assisted survey observations

  • 6 targeted visual surveys

  • 30 incidental sightings during fieldwork

Among those sightings, 15 were of family groups — pairs with ducklings — offering hope that these rivers still support breeding birds.

Signs of a stronghold

In total, we’ve identified 29 individual whio currently residing in the Makarora catchment:

  • 9 pairs

  • 6 singles

  • 5 juveniles

Most birds were seen along the main branch of the Blue River, the Leven valley, and the upper reaches of the North Young. But our biggest highlight came from the lesser-surveyed South Young Valley: a pair with six ducklings, seen for the first time in 2024 — a hugely significant moment for the team.

Support that makes it possible

This work is made possible thanks to generous support from the Tūpiki Trust, whose funding allows us to carry out the intensive survey and predator control work needed to give whio a fighting chance.

We’re proud to be protecting some of the last wild places where whio still survive — and to be giving nature room to recover.

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Wye Creek

Where climbing crags meet conservation tech — a new predator control frontier is taking shape high in the Remarkables.

Perched above Queenstown, the Wye Creek catchment is a biodiversity gem — rich in beech forest, alpine scrublands, native birds, skinks and the occasional kea. For over a decade, predator control here has kept pressure down on rats and stoats, thanks to DOC200s, Goodnature A24s, and the committed efforts of Queenstown Climbing Club and Southern Lakes Sanctuary.

Now, that work has taken a bold step into the future.

Innovation in predator control

Until recently, possum and feral cat control was limited due to the risk to kea. That changed in November 2024, when the team installed 20 AI-enabled AT520 traps, designed to target possums and rats while protecting kea and kākā. These smart traps combine the reliable trap mechanism of NZ Autotraps AT520 with FTP Solution’s Yarn Mesh network and integrated AI cameras that only activate when a target species is positively identified — a feature known as Species Selective Arming (SSA). 

The results so far?

In just 12 months, the network has removed:

  • 112 possums

  • 32 rats

  • 53 mice

  • 153 unspecified (likely rats or mice)

That’s 350 predators gone — without putting native birds at risk.

But the benefits go beyond the kill numbers. These smart traps also:

  • Track visits and activity, even without a catch

  • Send real-time images and alerts

  • Improve efficiency and responsiveness in tough, remote terrain

  • Enable data-driven decisions for expanding control

This is the future of conservation tech — unfolding right here in the Remarkables.

A thriving forest below

While the upper slopes are now protected by smart traps, the lower Wye Creek beech forest has already seen over a decade of consistent trapping. Today, these forests are home to healthy populations of riroriro (grey warbler), miromiro (tomtit), tauhou (silvereye), pīwakawaka (fantails), korimako (bellbird), and the occasional tūī. 

What’s next?

Later in 2025, the team plans to roll out eight smart live-capture cat cages using the same remote tech to alert field crews the moment a trap is triggered. It will be a game-changer in understanding and managing feral cats in high alpine zones.

Collaboration makes it possible

This innovative network wouldn’t be here without the shared vision and support of Queenstown Climbing Club, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust, Tūpiki Trust, DOC, Altitude Brewing, and our team at Southern Lakes Sanctuary. Together, we’re breaking new ground — protecting biodiversity in one of the most spectacular and ecologically important parts of the Whakatipu Basin.

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📻 Want to dive deeper? Listen to SLS technical advisor Phil and project director Paul speak with Claire Concannon on RNZ’s Our Changing World about the Wye Creek smart trap project:
🎧 Listen now

Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project
Wye Creek Project

Makarora Mohua

A rare song still rings in the Makarora Valley — and we’re doing everything we can to keep it that way.

Mohua — the sparrow-sized songsters with bright yellow heads that adorn New Zealand’s $100 note — were once one of the South Island’s most common bush birds. Today, they’re in serious trouble.

The Makarora Valley is home to one of only 30 populations of mohua left in New Zealand — a pocket of hope where this taonga species still holds on. But their future hangs in the balance.

Thanks to a major collaborative effort between Southern Lakes Sanctuary, the Central Otago Lakes Branch of Forest & Bird (COLB), DOC and funding partners like the Otago Regional Council’s EcoFund, protection for mohua here is reaching new heights.

A breeding season with promise

In the 2023/24 summer, predator numbers were dramatically reduced — thanks to both an aerial 1080 operation in April 2024 and sustained ground-based trapping and bait station work. This meant that mohua entered the spring breeding season with far less predator pressure than the previous year, when a rat plague severely impacted the population.

The results were encouraging:

  • 5 out of 6 monitored mohua groups successfully bred

  • Each pair raised 1–4 fledglings

  • An additional group is likely to have bred but was not confirmed

  • Over 50% of mohua banded in 2023 were re-sighted in 2024

  • Of the 6 pairs that bred in 2023, only 2 stayed together in 2024… mohua scandal!

These outcomes speak volumes — not only about the resilience of mohua but about the strength of the collaborative mahi protecting it.

Expanding the protection zone

To build on this momentum, we’ve now completed Phase 1 of our bait station expansion. A new grid at Cameron Creek has extended the mohua protection zone, complemented by the creation of the new “Mohua Loop” trapline — increasing the total number of traps in the area to over 1,500.

These additions enhance the continuous protection zone across the main valley floor — a critical step in buffering mohua from the ever-present threat of predation.

A second round of trap calibrations, two years after the first, proved invaluable, with several traps requiring adjustment. Routine clearing and maintenance of hundreds of kilometres of traplines continues to be a priority — ensuring that COLB’s incredible volunteer force can work as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Tech meets manu: tracking mohua by song

In another exciting development, this project is working with Digilabs on a groundbreaking acoustic monitoring project.

Mohua spectrographHere’s how it works:

  • Acoustic recorders are placed in mohua territories, particularly where we have banded birds

  • Digilabs turns the birdsong into spectrograms — visual representations of sound

  • Using advanced AI (a Vision Transformer model — think ChatGPT for birdsong!), they’re developing tools to identify individual mohua by their unique calls

If successful, this could revolutionise how we monitor elusive species like mohua — helping us track individual birds from year to year without ever needing to see them.

Stay tuned for more from this innovative work.

A legacy of care

Mohua conservation in Makarora didn’t begin yesterday. COLB volunteers have been active here since 1998, with annual mohua monitoring starting in 2011. Since 2021, Southern Lakes Sanctuary has stepped in to expand and support this critical work in one of our most important management zones.

We’re proud to be building on this legacy — and grateful to all our partners and funders helping make it possible.

Thank you to the ORC EcoFund for your support of this essential mahi.

But we’re not there yet

Despite these promising results, mohua remain in serious trouble.

The population in Makarora is small, fragile and surrounded by predator-prone habitat. One bad season, one rat plague, one lapse in control — and everything we’ve gained could be lost.

To secure the future of mohua, we need to keep expanding, keep innovating and keep the pressure on.

You can help:

Together, we can make sure the song of the mohua continues to echo through the forests of Makarora for generations to come.

Otago Regional Council
Katherine Orme and Ed Rancliffe trapping in the Blue Valley (Nov23) - photo by Elly Fleming
Katherine Orme and Ed Rancliffe trapping in the Blue Valley (Nov23) - photo by Elly Fleming
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Bait station install in the Blue Valley
Mohua survey
Mohua survey
Forest and Bird

Coronet Face

From trail to treeline, we’re building a predator control network to support one of the most ambitious restoration projects in Queenstown.

The face of Coronet Peak is more than just a stunning landmark — it’s becoming a key ecological corridor, linking trapping networks between Arrowtown and Mt Dewar. Working alongside the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust, QEII, Queenstown Trails, Soho Properties and a crew of dedicated volunteers, we’ve established a new line of defence for native wildlife.

Predator control on the move

In 2022, we began setting traps along the Coronet Water Race trail, a popular walking and biking route originally built to follow historic water races from the goldmining era. Since then, our efforts have expanded rapidly.

Today, with generous support from Rod Drury and TRAC, our integrated trapping network includes:

  • 40+ high-tech, remote-reporting traps (AT220s and others)

  • Over 2,000 predators removed so far — and counting

  • Connectivity to surrounding landscapes, helping create a safer passage for native species

This network is part of a wider landscape-scale approach to restoring biodiversity across the Whakatipu Basin.

Eyes on the landscape

To guide our trapping strategy, we also deploy camera monitoring across the Coronet Loop and Water Race. These cameras are baited with fresh rabbit and ZIP motolures (which dispense mayonnaise daily — a favourite among curious predators!) and left in place for 21 nights.

Once analysed, the data helps us understand what pests are present — and where best to target our next effort.

Restoration in motion

Our work complements one of the most ambitious native planting efforts underway in the country. Led by our friends Queenstown Lakes District Council and Te Tapu o Tāne through Project Tohu, over 80,000 native trees have already been planted along the Coronet Face — part of a long-term vision to restore this once-cleared face back to thriving native forest.

While Southern Lakes Sanctuary doesn’t lead the planting work, our trapping network plays a vital role in supporting its success by reducing predator pressure on newly created habitat and the native species that will one day return.

It’s a powerful example of what’s possible when conservation, recreation and restoration align — and it’s an exciting time for the environment in Queenstown.

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Trac Logo
Coronet Face Trapping
Coronet Face Trapping
Coronet Face Trapping
Coronet Face Trapping
Coronet Face Trapping

Bush Creek

Once quiet, Bush Creek is now coming back to life with birdsong — and the numbers back it up.

Tucked behind Arrowtown, Bush Creek is fast becoming a local success story in predator control. Thanks to funding and support from The Hills, we now have over 100 high-tech AT220 traps with remote monitoring capability working across the area. Together, these traps have removed over 6,500 introduced predators — including more than 4,500 possums.

The project links in with wider regional efforts, connecting to work led by Whakatipu Wildlife Trust / Predator Free Arrowtown and to our Coronet trap network, forming an increasingly powerful line of defence for native wildlife.

From problem to progress

When trapping first began, the area was heavily infested. WaxTag monitoring showed possum activity at 56%, an alarmingly high figure. But recent checks show a consistent drop to just 6%, with no possum chews detected on the upper trap lines — areas that also happen to be biodiversity hotspots.

As catch numbers have dropped, we’ve taken the opportunity to scale out, expanding the project into Sawpit Gully and Big Hill, extending protection even further across the landscape.

Nature is bouncing back

One of the clearest signs of progress has been the return of native birdlife. Our field teams report a real lift in sightings of pīwakawaka (fantail) and tītitipounamu (rifleman) — Aotearoa’s smallest bird. These sensitive species are early indicators of a healthier ecosystem, and their growing presence is reason to be hopeful.

A shared commitment

This work simply wouldn’t be possible without The Hills, whose funding kickstarted the Bush Creek project and continues to support its growth. Their commitment to local conservation is helping create real, tangible change in the landscape — and we’re proud to have them as a key partner on this journey.

Bush Creek is a shining example of what can happen when technology, teamwork, and community come together to give nature a fighting chance.

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The Hills
The Hills Bush Creek Project
Sir Michael Hill helping out at Bush Creek
Bush Creek Project
Thanks FTP Solutions for their assistance in this project
Bush Creek
Relay above Bush Creek
Hills members tour
Hills members tour

Takahē Return to the Rees

Once thought extinct, takahē are making a bold return to the wild — this time in the breathtaking Rees Valley.

51 of these rare, flightless birds have been released into a newly protected landscape, thanks to a massive collaborative effort led by Southern Lakes Sanctuary in partnership with DOC Takahē Recovery, the Scott family of Rees Valley Station, Ngāi Tahu, Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust and many others.

Restoring a wild future

This return is only possible because of years of dedicated predator control. Since 2022, our team has worked tirelessly to transform the Rees into a safe haven:

  • 596 traps installed

  • 1,947 predators removed

  • 5,722 trap checks completed

  • Regular camera and tracking tunnel monitoring

These efforts have transformed the Rees into the largest area of non-public conservation land in New Zealand currently supporting wild takahē.

A population with room to grow

With additional takahē releases scheduled, it’s expected that up to 80 birds could inhabit the valley by the end of 2025. Longer term, the surrounding catchment has the potential to support up to 500 birds — a number that could more than double the current national wild population within the next decade.

It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when landowners, communities and conservation groups come together.

This progress is only the beginning

Ongoing predator control and monitoring are essential to give these taonga the best chance of survival—and to protect the many other threatened species that call this place home, from kea and pīwauwau (rock wren) to pekapeka (bats) and braided river birds.

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Kā mihi maioha

A huge thank you to our incredible partners: DOC Takahē Recovery, RealNZ, Impact100, Lotteries, Stout Trust, Patagonia, QLDC, Central Lakes Trust, Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand and Heli Glenorchy.

To find out more, check out the latest news

Screenshot 2025-04-14 114647
Screenshot 2025-04-14 115038
Return of the Takahē in the Rees Valley - Photo by RealNZ
Return of the Takahē in the Rees Valley - Photo by RealNZ
Thanks Impact100!
Thanks Impact100!

Takahē released in the Rees Valley – a conservation milestone

This week, a group of 18 rare takahē took their first steps into the wild in the spectacular Rees Valley—marking a powerful moment not just for the species, but for conservation across the Southern Lakes region.

Their release onto 18,000 hectares of high-country leasehold land near Glenorchy is the culmination of collaboration and effort. Southern Lakes Sanctuary (SLS) led a three-year long predator control programme in collaboration with Rees Valley Station, Temple Peak Station, Mt Earnslaw Station, the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ngāi Tahu and project partners including Fulton Hogan and Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust.

A safe haven for a national treasure

Once thought extinct, takahē are one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most iconic and endangered flightless birds. Creating a safe habitat for them in the Rees Valley has been no small feat. Before SLS began this ambitious project in 2022, just 139 predator traps existed in the area. Today, 596 traps are in place and have removed 1,947 predators – including feral cats, stoats and rats – thanks to more than 5,700 trap checks by our dedicated field team.

These efforts have transformed the Rees into the largest area of non-public conservation land in New Zealand currently supporting wild takahē.

“This is exactly the kind of outcome that shows what’s possible when community, landowners and conservation groups come together,” says SLS Project Director Paul Kavanagh. “But maintaining a predator-controlled landscape is an ongoing mission. These taonga species need our continued protection if they’re to thrive.”

Credit: RealNZ

A landscape worth returning to

The Rees Valley’s alpine tussock grasslands provide an ideal habitat for takahē, whose diet includes the starchy bases of tussock leaves, seeds and forest plants like the summer green fern. As snow blankets the hills in winter, the birds shift into forested areas in search of food – illustrating the importance of maintaining diverse and healthy ecosystems.

Station owner Iris Scott says the return of takahē to the landscape is something truly special.

“We’ve always been proud of this land, but to now see takahē wandering through it again is incredibly validating. It proves we’ve kept this valley in a condition that can support native wildlife, just as it once did.”

With more takahē releases scheduled for March and September, it’s estimated that up to 80 birds could call the valley home by the end of 2025. And with the upper Whakatipu catchment capable of sustaining up to 500 birds long term, this site alone could more than double the current national wild takahē population within the next decade.

Powered by partnership

DOC Takahē Recovery Senior Ranger Glen Greaves says the decision to reintroduce takahē into the Rees Valley was only possible because of SLS’s groundwork.

“The predator control in the Rees is robust and proactive, exactly what takahē need to thrive. Without Southern Lakes Sanctuary’s leadership and persistence, this opportunity simply wouldn’t exist.”

Currently, there are just 528 takahē in Aotearoa, with around half living in wild environments. The work in the Rees represents a critical step forward not only for takahē but also for over 15 other threatened species that call the area home, including kea, pīwauwau (rrock wren) pekapeka (bats), and braided river birds.

© Sam Purdie

Help us go further

This kind of success is only possible through sustained commitment – and support from partners and the community. We’re immensely grateful to our funders and sponsors: RealNZ, Impact 100, Lotteries, Stout Trust, Patagonia, QLDC, Central Lakes Trust, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand and Heli Glenorchy.

“The Rees Valley is not just a beautiful part of the world – it’s a strategically important site that borders Mt Aspiring National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Area,” says Kavanagh. “With continued support, we can work towards total predator elimination here, creating a sanctuary for generations to come.”

Credit: RealNZ

Want to be part of the future of takahē conservation?

Learn how you can support or donate here ➜

Whio survival shows the power of working together

Endangered endemic birds flock to Makarora following proactive predator trapping

A collective predator control effort over the past 15 months has helped to lower rat and stoat numbers – a positive sign for native birds in the area.

The collaborative efforts by conservation groups Southern Lakes Sanctuary, Department of Conservation, and Central Otago Lakes branch of Forest and Bird have curbed the ‘rat plague’ of the 2023/24 summer by installing over 700 bait stations, servicing more than 1400 traps, and undertaking a 1080 operation by DOC, across the Makarora area over the past 15 months.

And, much to the delight of all involved, a family of endangered whio (blue duck) with five youngsters have been observed on the southern end of the Young River over recent months.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the whio sighting is excellent news following the localised conservation work.

“The presence of whio in the Young River is an optimistic sign that indicates good stoat control in the area, which comes down to the great collaborative effort last summer,” he says. “These endemic manu (birds) nest on the banks of rivers, in caves or in dense vegetation, and nesting whio are very vulnerable to stoats.”

Central Otago Lakes Forest and Bird chairman Andrew Penniket says extensive trapping is one of the factors for the increased presence of the birds.

“The whio family has been seen over the space of a month by several groups and is the largest number seen on this river, or in our catchments, in our collective memories,” he says. “The sightings are a wonderful reward, coinciding with the work undertaken to put an extra 20 traps into the southern end of the Young River, specifically for the protection of rock wren and whio.

“It has been heartening that we have had very low catch rates of rats and stoats on all our trapping lines. It is probably the lowest ever, that I can recall,” Penniket adds.

In the summer of 2023/24 rat numbers exploded due to a ‘mast season’ of native beech trees, where a larger number of tree seeds are produced. A mast season generally occurs every two to six years and results in a dramatic increase in rat numbers, and then stoats.

The collaborative predator control effort has achieved positive results for other species in the area.

“We were concerned about the survival of the endangered mohua (yellowhead) with the siege of rats swarming to the area last spring and summer,” Kavanagh explains. “However, in the core trapping and bait station areas, most of the mohua chicks that we have monitored have survived in both this year’s and last year’s breeding seasons.

This area is a priority site for the Department of Conservation’s National Predator Control Programme and as such received landscape scale predator control via aerial 1080 in March 2024, in response to rodent plagues following beech masts. Working in partnership with DOC ensures the best outcome for predator control.

“The mohua and whio survival shows the power of working together,” Kavanagh says. “The amazing efforts of volunteers and staff, who strapped on their tramping boots and frequently checked and cleared thousands of traps and bait stations. Collectively, they contributed thousands of hours towards this important mahi to protect wildlife in Makarora.”

Introduced predators such as rats and stoats kill more than 25 million native birds and wildlife every year in New Zealand. An estimated 1382 rats were dispatched in traps and an estimated 3600 rats from the bait station network alone, between November 2023 – November 2024.

Local Grants: Lottery funding powers Southern Lakes Sanctuary’s fight to save endangered species

“Thanks to lottery funding, the Sanctuary has undertaken work to protect not only takahē habitat, but over 15 threatened taonga species in the region, including kea, rock wren (pīwauwau), and the wrybill (ngutu pare).”

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Our Changing World: Smart traps

“On Our Changing World, Claire Concannon heads to the Wye Valley just outside Queenstown.  

The Southern Lakes Sanctuary project is setting up a new smart trap network there, the fourth they’ve built in the region. They hope these AI-powered traps will help them trap more efficiently in difficult-to-reach areas.”

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Project Update VI December 2024

Check out our latest project update. We sure have been busy! Thank you to all for your ongoing support, it really feels like an especially exciting time with all that is happening within our project area!

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National Geographic – Inside New Zealand’s radical plan to save its native birds

We made it into National Geographic! Last year we spent a few days with Robin Hammond – a photographer who took this incredible shot to help tell our story.

We, alongside an ever increasing number of groups around Aotearoa, are fighting the good fight to help protect our precious taonga. To read the full story click the link below –

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Collaboration with Otago Regional Council – Otago’s remarkable reptiles

Our knowledgeable herpetologist, Samuel Purdie, has been busy working closely with science communicators at Tūhura Otago Museum, Otago Regional Council and Carey Knox at Southern Scales. Together we have developed factsheets for all lizards and tuatara in Otago. We have also developed posters for lizards in Otago, check them out!

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RNZ Podcast – Science: Lizard eDNA, Otago reptile threat lists, giant weta

Listen to our Biodiversity Project Co-ordinator, Samuel Purdie talking about his involvement in lizard eDNA research and surveying Southern Alps giant wētā

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Impact100 Whakatipu winners

We were the lucky recipients of one of the two $100,500 Impact100 Wakatipu grants this year! A huge congratulations to Whakatipu Rowing Club for the other.

“The funds will be used to build the ‘Impact100 turk’ (outback hut) and to help with ongoing monitoring and pest eradication work” in the Rees Valley to protect precious taonga including the soon-to-be-released takahē.

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Makarora mohua in serious need of intervention

“Raising our voice and our profile to ensure that retaining mohua in Makarora is an absolute priority, we are determined our story will not become another “Goodbye Freddy” story for Minister Jones,” Tilson wrote in an article of the Forest & Bird magazine recently, referring to Resources Minister Shane Jones’s comment in Parliament in December that if a frog stood in the way of a mine, it was “Goodbye, Freddy”

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150k raised at RealNZ’s Conservation Ball

“More than $150,000 was raised at RealNZ’s Conservation Ball annual to support the translocation of takahē into the Rees Valley…

…The funds will help the tourism giant, along with Southern Lakes Sanctuary, the Department of Conservation, and other conservation partners, to protect the Rees Valley from predators and allow native birds to thrive in the area.”

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Over the Top Eco Tour

Tourists set to chip in with remote conservation work in Queenstown Lakes District

Environmentally conscious tourists can now choose to give back to local conservation efforts in the Queenstown Lakes District, with the launch of a new immersive experience this month.

Innovative Queenstown-based organisations Southern Lakes Sanctuary (SLS) and Over The Top – The Helicopter Company are joining forces to offer eco-focused travellers the chance to roll up their sleeves and contribute to local conservation, with the launch of their new Hands-On Conservation: Journey Back in Time experience.

The unique half-day trip will take tourists beyond Queenstown’s iconic Ben Lomond range to Out The Back – New Zealand’s smallest high country station – via helicopter, where they will witness first-hand the proactive work SLS is undertaking to protect wildlife such as rock wren/pīwauwau and kea, and to create safe areas for the reintroduction of other native species.

In addition, guests will have the option of installing their own predator traps and add to the traps already in the area.

To mark the milestone, one of the first trips is being auctioned off at the sold-out RealNZ Conservation Ball 2024, which takes place this weekend (September 28).

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the funds from the auctioned flight will go directly towards significant conservation projects in the region.

“All the proceeds from the first ECO Tours experience – as well as the other auction items at the Conservation Ball 2024 – will help with removing predators from the Rees Valley,” he says. “We are striving to clear the valley of stoats and feral cats before a possible translocation of takahē in early 2025.

“The mahi needed in this area is extensive,” Kavanagh explains. “It is only through support like that shown by RealNZ and Over The Top – The Helicopter Company, that our crew can truly make an impact to protect the natural environment from invasive species and make it safe enough for native taonga to survive and thrive.”

Over The Top – The Helicopter Company CEO Louisa ‘Choppy’ Patterson says her company is dedicated to supporting provincial conservation and preservation projects.

“We have an ongoing vision to reduce our carbon footprint by introducing sustainable tours and experiences,” Patterson says. “We aim to provide a definitive New Zealand experience for discerning guests, where ethical and sustainable tourism share a true connection to the land.

“Southern Lakes Sanctuary is renowned for its local conservation work, and we’re thrilled to partner with the team, who are proactively enriching the value of our region by protecting ecosystems and building resilience in wildlife populations,” she adds.

The new conservation tour is valued at more than $5,000 and will be available to the public this spring via the Over The Top – The Helicopter Company website.

Hugo Funding For Extra Traps

Southern Lakes Sanctuary receives $75,000 to protect native wildlife at Bob’s Cove

Predator control at one of Queenstown’s most iconic nature reserves is set to be given a boost, thanks to a $75,000 donation from the Hugo Charitable Trust.

The Arrowtown-based nationwide charity has granted the funds to Southern Lakes Sanctuary (SLS) to install 28 state-of-the-art pest traps at Bob’s Cove, targeting possums, rats and feral cats that inhabit the area, threatening native wildlife.

The traps include 18 self-resetting devices and 10 live-capture traps and will be deployed this spring at Bob’s Cove – a popular spot for lakeside nature walks, boasting beech forest, manuka groves and an historic lime kiln from the 1800s.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Hugo Charitable Trust for recognising the importance of the conservation work we are undertaking at Bob’s Cove,” SLS project director Paul Kavanagh says. “It is the closest intact native beech forest to Queenstown and is home to many endemic species, including Yellow-crowned Parakeet (kākāriki), tūī and falcon (kārearea), but this incredible location and its wildlife is under serious threat because of introduced mammals.

“Having these additional traps on the ground will help to significantly reduce predator numbers,” Kavanagh adds.

SLS has been actively trapping in Bob’s Cove since 2022 and supporting the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and Bob’s Cove Predator Control Group, by adding an arsenal of 20 AT220 traps that have removed more than 1000 predators. The new traps, funded by the Hugo Charitable Trust, will drastically increase this number, Kavanagh says.

The 28 self-resetting and live capture traps will be mounted with nodes, which feature an AI camera and a communications system to alert the SLS team of predator interactions. SLS was one of the first conservation groups in NZ to use the innovative predator-control technology.

Hugo Charitable Trust CEO Aoibheann Monaghan says conservation is an important priority for the Trust and supports initiatives that protect the natural environment for generations to come.

“We appreciate Southern Lakes Sanctuary’s way of working together with other conservation organisations and their collaborative approach,” she says. “When this opportunity came up to support the work they are doing at Bob’s Cove, we felt it fit perfectly with us.”

The Hugo Charitable Trust contributed $1,503,000 to community groups between 2023-2024, with more than 10% given to environmental groups in NZ. Since it was established in 2017, the Trust has donated more than $18 million to charities throughout NZ.

The Hills opens for fundraising golf day

The Hills opens for fundraising golf day

Sir Michael Hill and Southern Lakes Sanctuary are teeing up to host an exclusive golf tournament to raise funds for the local group’s vital conservation work.

Held at the exclusive The Hills Golf Club, the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Fundraising Golf Day on September 16 and 17, aims to provide a much-needed financial boost to the environmental consortium.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the event is an opportunity for people to not only experience one of the world’s most picturesque golf courses, but a chance to ensure our local native taonga continue to thrive.

“We are very fortunate and grateful that the Hill family, as one of our benefactors, are supporting us with this fundraising event. It is guaranteed to be a wonderful day out, when the autumn colours of Arrowtown will be at their best,” he says. “We encourage locals to get a group together, whether it’s friends, family or colleagues, and join us for this special day at The Hills.”

A prize auction will be held after the tournament, with many local businesses donating prizes and all proceeds going to Southern Lakes Sanctuary.

There will also be art works up for auction, including works by Michael Hight, Romer Gallery, Sir Michael Hill and Lady Christine Hill.

Entry to Southern Lakes Sanctuary Fundraising Golf Day is $3200 for a team of four players. Just 80 tickets (20 x four balls) are available, which include the use of a golf cart, on-course food and beverage, and post-game canapes.

All funds raised will go directly to Southern Lakes Sanctuary, one of NZ’s largest conservation organisations. The consortium of six environmental groups works to increase biodiversity, control predators and protect the native species of the Southern Lakes.

Initially supported by the NZ Government’s Jobs for Nature programme – which faces a funding cliff in June this year – Southern Lakes Sanctuary is seeking $1.5 million annually to sustain its essential conservation work.

“It’s crunch time for us now,” says Kavanagh. “Our Jobs For Nature funding is about to end, and through the generosity of people in our district, we can truly make a difference to protect the biodiversity and beauty of this special part of the world.”,

Southern Lakes Sanctuary 2.0

Southern Lakes Sanctuary continues vital conservation work

Southern Lakes Sanctuary has secured enough funding to continue its critical conservation work in the Queenstown Lakes District – but they’re not out of the woods yet.

The conservation consortium driving predator control, restoring wildlife and protecting biodiversity across its 660,000ha catchment area has recently secured over $1m of support from a range of generous private funders, businesses, philanthropic groups and local government agencies.

Established in June 2021 as a result of the Jobs For Nature funding, Southern Lakes Sanctuary has operated on $1.5m annually to coordinate and deliver major conservation projects throughout the region. However, with the three-year programme coming to an end this month, the consortium was at risk of collapse if money wasn’t maintained.

Since its inception the Southern Lakes Sanctuary has been determined to contribute to the region’s biodiversity for years beyond the Jobs For Nature period and has spent the past year actively seeking generous and engaged contributors.

Thanks to commitments from Central Lakes Trust, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, Lotteries Commission and many others, such as philanthropists Sir Michael Hill and Rod Drury, conservation outcomes such as these recent examples can continue:

· Trapping of 37 feral cats at Mount Creighton Station across 20 nights via 10 live capture cages.

· Dispatching more than 538 pests from 900 hectares in Bob’s Cove.

· Installing 110 AI-enhanced predator traps near Arrowtown and on Coronet Peak lower face, which have dispatched more than 3,000 possums and rats from 2,300 ha.

· A small, 20ha area with just three traps on QEII National Trust-owned Remarkables Station land has taken an impressive 235 possums and rats.

· Establishing a 100km-long alpine trapline between Wānaka and Glenorchy to help conserve vulnerable species such as kea and pīwauwau (rock wren).

· Protecting endangered mohua in Makarora from an impending rat plague through extensive trapping and monitoring. Over three months last summer, crew and volunteers walked more than 190,000km to regularly check traps and bait stations with more than 5,000 rats exterminated.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the conservation group’s success and milestones to date are the direct results of SLS’ impressive crew and their collaboration with countless volunteers.

“The incredible achievements of the volunteers and our team members undertaking predator control are what attracts donors to support us. They recognise the importance of continuing our role to protect our local biodiversity,” he adds.

SLS will continue to rely on annual funding to ensure this important conservation work is undertaken for the future.

“Restoring the region’s natural biodiversity takes time and ongoing commitment. There’s a lot to do but with a great crew, a supportive community and rapidly advancing technology we are optimistic about what the future holds and how we can contribute to it,” Kavanagh explains. “By 2030, we aim to have removed more than 250,000 predators in total, while maintaining a network of 30,000 traps and support the return of endemic birds across Wānaka and Whakatipu areas.

“We hope that over the coming years it will become normal for anyone to see takahē wandering in the Rees Valley, hear a deafening chorus of birds at Bobs Cove and easily spot mohua and kea in the Matukituki Valley.”

Wildlands Report 2023

New report reveals kiwi and kākāpo once roamed downtown Wānaka

One of New Zealand’s largest conservation groups has released a ground-breaking biodiversity report today – the first of its kind in New Zealand. Innovative conservation group Southern Lakes Sanctuary is launching an interactive geographic information system (GIS) map – developed by Wildlands Consultants – which provides a comprehensive breakdown of wildlife species that existed in the Queenstown Lakes District, pre-human arrival.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh believes that the multi-layer GIS map is the first of its kind in NZ and provides a conservation blueprint into what optimal biodiversity looks like for the region.

“This mapping system not only reveals what species existed before human arrival, but also what wildlife was common prior to the introduction of invasive mammalian predators such as stoats, ferrets, possums and feral cats,” Kavanagh says. “It’s remarkable to see that endangered birds such as the great spotted kiwi may have once roamed Mt Iron in Wānaka and takahē could have been fossicking close to our office on Glenda Drive in Queenstown.

“The impact of introduced predators has been devastating in our area and it is critical that we conserve the native taonga (treasures) we currently have, and mitigate further biodiversity loss, through ongoing predator control,” he adds.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary’s work involves trapping invasive predators to support local biodiversity and protect native species in the Queenstown Lakes District.

The multi-layered GIS map was commissioned by the conservation group and developed through Wildlands Consultants, with funding support from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).

Queenstown Lakes District Council Resilience and Climate Action manager Bill Nicoll says the Sanctuary’s mapping system provides invaluable information to support the district’s conservation efforts.

“Our hope is that the new mapping platform assists the broad number of organisations, groups and individuals who are undertaking biodiversity restoration initiatives across the district,” he says.

Queenstown Lakes District Council mayor Glyn Lewers says he is also supportive of the project.

“Council has made a clear commitment to tackle both the ecological and climate emergencies, so we are proud to have supported this innovative project as part of the district’s Climate and Biodiversity Plan,” Lewers says.

The interactive map categorises historical wildlife into groups – birds, bats, invertebrates and lizards and amphibians – and builds upon the floral (plant) report Wildlands Consultants previously produced for Otago Regional Council, in 2020.

“A wide variety of data sources and records were used to define the habitats in the previous floral (plant) report, and by using current sightings, historical records and in-house knowledge, indigenous animal species were then assigned to each habitat type,” Kavanagh explains.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary – created out of the soon-to-be-exhausted Jobs For Nature fund – is an innovative conservation group that supports nearly 100 local groups across a 660,000-hectare catchment area and is dependent on large and small donations to continue the crucial conservation work.

The new map will be freely available and hosted on the Spatial Data Hub section of the QLDC website.

Generosity Generator

Crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise $10,000 to protect native bird from rats

One of New Zealand’s largest conservation groups has launched a crowdfunding campaign to urgently protect the declining mohua/Yellowhead from an anticipated rat plague near Makarora.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary, in conjunction with partner group Forest & Bird Central Otago Lakes branch, is seeking at least $10,000 via a Givealittle page, which will go directly towards 700 rat traps and bait stations in Mt Aspiring National Park.

The proactive approach comes as the conservationists prepare for an explosion of rat numbers in the area thanks to a recent ‘mast season’ of native beech trees, where a larger number of tree seeds are produced. A mast season occurs every two to six years. Once the seeds have been eaten, predators turn to eating native species – it’s feared that mohua in Makarora could become extinct within a single season if extra measures are not taken.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary biodiversity coordinator Jo Tilson says staff are actively working alongside more than 50 Forest & Bird volunteers, to mitigate rat numbers through trapping.

“I’ve seen the difference that focused trapping efforts make in supporting our mohua to breed and to thrive,” she explains.

“Once one of the most common forest birds in the South Island, they are now found only in a few areas of South Island beech forest. Makarora is one of the only places where you can see and hear mohua at the side of the road – but we are on a knife’s edge from losing these birds.”

Introduced predators such as rats and stoats kill more than 25 million native birds and wildlife every year in New Zealand. Southern Lakes Sanctuary – created out of the now-exhausted Jobs For Nature fund – is dependent on large and small donations to continue its innovative trapping and biodiversity projects.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary fundraising manager Sarah Fredric says the inspiration for this fundraiser is the result of taking part in Generosity Generator, an online fundraising training programme, facilitated by The Funding Network NZ.

“Charities from around New Zealand applied to be a part of the national programme, and we were accepted along with 36 other NZ charities,” she says. “All of the funds we raise through our Givealittle page will go directly towards protecting our mohua.”

Southern Lakes Sanctuary will share fundraising updates via their social media channels, daily. The Givealittle page is now live and closes on Friday 17 November at midnight.

Photo credit: Sarah Forder

AJ Hackett Bungy Support

Southern Lakes Sanctuary to receive $300k boost

Conservation organisation the Southern Lakes Sanctuary has today announced it will receive a significant funding contribution to help continue its predator-control work.

A $100,000 donation each year for the next three years from AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand kicks off a national fundraising mission for the Southern Lakes Sanctuary. The environmental consortium requires urgent funding to sustain its critical work in protecting native species and increasing biodiversity in the Southern Lakes.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says they are thrilled to announce their first cornerstone funding partner as local businesses are a lifeline for the non-profit organisation.

“We are incredibly grateful to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand for supporting us and recognising the importance of the work we are undertaking in the Southern Lakes,” he says. “Since we began in late 2021, the trapping network across our region has increased by 50 per cent and we are delighted to know that we are making a genuine difference for our wonderful landscapes and native wildlife. But we need to keep going, and contributions from businesses and organisations like AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand can enable us to do that.”

Southern Lakes Sanctuary works with a consortium of six conservation organisations across the Southern Lakes, bringing together the work of 90 volunteer groups, landowners, businesses and the Department of Conservation (DoC). It utilises cutting-edge conservation technology, including eDNA monitoring, smart traps and AI species recognition.

AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand chief executive David Mitchell says the tourism leader chose to support the Southern Lakes Sanctuary after seeing that the organisation is producing real, tangible results in local conservation.

“We’ve been privileged in enabling support for the Southern Lakes Sanctuary by providing the operational horsepower for their conservation project,” he says. “We believe in the benefits these dedicated people are providing to local conservation and we would like to see them continue. We are committing $100,000 per annum for three years for running the office and support networks needed by the Southern Lakes Sanctuary and we look forward to other Kiwi companies recognising the benefits of backing people undertaking crucial conservation work.

“It is important for responsible tourism companies focussing on being regenerative in tourism, to not only do their part in carbon reduction measures but also support biodiversity issues.”

The Southern Lakes Sanctuary was established as a result of the Workforce Alliance, which was launched by AJ Hackett Bungy NZ during the pandemic to keep Queenstown’s tourism workers in the area. The workers were deployed into new and existing community projects, including the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.

“With the resurgence of the tourism trade the Bungy crew have returned to their operational roles and we now have a team of over 20 skilled conservationists,” adds Kavanagh. “Science and tech are important to our organisation to make us as efficient as possible, but it’s our people in the office and out in the field who are the real stars. We’re all deeply committed to preserving the Southern Lakes’ native taonga for future generations.”

The first of the three $100,000 contributions will be donated to the Southern Lakes Sanctuary in July 2024.

Feral Cats

Feral cats on the rise in New Zealand

Conservation organisation Southern Lakes Sanctuary is calling for the inclusion of feral cats in the NZ Government’s Predator Free 2050 strategy.

More than 2.5 million feral cats now reside in Aotearoa and this number continues to rise every week. The pests are a significant threat to the country’s native birdlife and are responsible for the extinction of native birds including the Stephen Island wren, and endangering iconic Kiwi birds such as the kea.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says urgent funding is required to humanely control the pests, which are now at record highs throughout the country. The non-profit charitable organisation is facing a funding cliff of June 2024.

“The reproductive potential of a single female cat is estimated at 300 kittens in her reproductive lifetime,” he says. “This means the feral cat population is increasing significantly every week, and we need to ramp up our efforts to control these populations to save our native taonga species.”

The NZ Government has confirmed a review of the Predator Free 2050 strategy will take place in 2024 under public consultation. The inclusion of feral cats would generate more funding to enable Southern Lakes Sanctuary to increase resources and continue their crucial conservation work.

The Southern Lakes Sanctuary humanely captures and dispatches feral cats in the Southern Lakes region. The feral cat population is self-sustaining – they do not rely on humans to survive and are generally located in remote areas. Male feral cats captured in the South Island high country usually weigh about 3.75kg but can weigh up to 10kg.

“It’s important to distinguish the difference between types of cats,” says Kavanagh. “We are absolutely not talking about domestic, companion cats here, or stray cats, which depend on ad-hoc human interaction. We are trying to decrease the widespread population of wild, feral cats which are destroying our endangered birds and reptiles.”

The humane trapping and dispatching of feral cats is a skilled task only undertaken by professional trappers, rather than community volunteers. The SPCA acknowledges, via a Position Statement on the organisation’s website, that feral cats are considered a pest and the SPCA supports the justified humane population management.

Kavanagh says that the Southern Lakes Sanctuary is careful not to endanger any domestic cats and updates in technology make this entirely possible.

“Some of our traps have a daytime excluder to reduce the likelihood of catching pets, and we are investigating getting a microchip feature which would override the trap if detected,”

he says. “We also focus on live trapping to mitigate the potential risk to companion cats, and we meet with local homeowners to see what their companion cats look like. However, we are trapping in remote areas where the risk of encountering a companion cat is extremely low.”