Pests and Threats

Threats to Kiwi

The main direct threats that face kiwi can be placed into three categories according to the age of the kiwi.

(a) Adult kiwi - dogs, ferrets, possum traps and cyanide poison, cars and possibly pigs, possums and cats.

(b) Chicks - stoats, cats, harriers, ferrets and possibly weasels.

(c) Eggs - possums, disease, ferrets, weasels, rats, and stoats.

In addition the loss of habitat by vegetation clearance and the alteration to habitat by deer, goats and pigs affect kiwi greatly. Adult kiwis seldom survive in small isolated forest remnants in agricultural landscapes and the more open the forest the more accessible it is to predators.

The Taranaki Regional Council has information on Animal Pests, see Animal Pest Management, http://www.trc.govt.nz

Also see the Department of Conservation Animal Pest webpage; http://www.doc.govt.nz

Possums A small to medium sized omnivore; the possum is a nocturnal animal with large ears, pointed face, close woolly fur and bushy tail. By stripping indigenous forests of fruit, flowers and leaves, possums also affect vital food sources for birds. Possums also eat eggs and chicks and interfere with the breeding of indigenous bird species such as kokako, kiwi and wood pigeon. Possums also eat indigenous invertebrates such as giant wetas and giant land snails. The use of 1080 poison, for TB Control purposes in North Taranaki, and by DOC on Crown lands, means that Taranaki is (in 2002) more in control of the possum populations than previously. Illustrated to the left is a 'Timms' trap, with a fruit bait. Cage traps may also be used.

Mustelids (Stoats, Ferrets and Weasels) Mustelids are carnivorous mammals, classified together in the Family Mustelidae. They share the characteristic long body, short legs and a smooth pointed face. The adult male ferret, the largest of the three species is, on average, about 51cm long including the tail. Mustelids search for prey through all possible cover, down every accessible hole and up every likely tree in the course of each hunting excursion. Because of this, Mustelids have become one of the biggest causes of the decline of mainland kiwi and have been linked to the disappearance of a number of other threatened indigenous bird species such as the kokako.
Ferret Mustela furo 48 - 56 cm long including tail, (the size of a small cat) creamy undercoat with long black-tipped hairs.
Stoat Mustela ermina 24 - 40 cm long including tail, with brown back and pale belly, tail bushy and black tipped. Stoats have been seen bounding along the shore at Kawaroa, skulking in ditches at Opunake and stalking birds in the bush at Tarata.
Weasel Mustela nivalis 20 - 25 cm long, deep brown to light tan, tail short The best way to keep an area free of mustelids is by trapping. There are many brands of trap, and trap housing, available. To the right, there are photos of the double 'Fenn' trap system. The trap box allows the rats or mustelids to enter through carefully positioned holes in wire mesh. Kiwis cannot poke their beaks inside. The bait is an egg - or a nice bit of Eltham cheese! The animal enters and is quickly killed by the 'Fenn' trap.

Taranaki Kiwi Trust Stoat Trap Lines

Along with the Department of Conservation, The Taranaki Kiwi Trust maintains various lines of stoat traps in Egmont National Park. A map of where these stoat lines are can be viewed by clicking here.

Setting the Traps

The diagrams below illustrate how a stoat trap is set up, baited and placed in the field, ready to capture their Mustelid prey.

Baited and Ready

Trap set up

The Trapper

Cats

Feral cats are cats living independent of people or breeding in the wild, and include domestic cats that have been abandoned by or strayed from their owners. Feral cats are the same size and have the same range of colour as domestic cats.

In mature or regenerating indigenous forested areas, feral cats are significant predators of indigenous birds, reptiles and invertebrates. In the past, the presence of feral cats have been attributed to the extinction of a large number of indigenous bird species, on a number of offshore islands, and are continuing to have a detrimental impact on birds on the mainland.

Landowners may trap cats in a cage trap (shown left) using meat bait. The SPCA will assist in the control of cats and the humane dispatch of the trapped animals.

People may ensure that their cats are of minimal danger to wildlife by neutering kittens, and keeping cats in at night.

Dogs

Dogs are efficient killers of ground-dwelling birds. They have a very sensitive sense of smell, and love the unusual scent of Kiwi. For this reason, DOC discourages people from taking pets into areas where Kiwi live.

Dogs can undergo 'aversion training'. Goat-hunters employed by DOC have the dogs trained this way. The concern is that the people may not realise that dogs are efficient Kiwi killers. Although hunting dogs are generally under control, dogs lost on hunting trips in the bush may cause unseen havoc for the Kiwi population.

Pet dogs are not permitted anywhere in Egmont National Park. Severe penalties will apply if pet dogs are caught in the park.

Deer

Feral deer, are red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), rusa deer (Cervus timorensis), fallow deer (Cervus dama), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus boreali) and wapiti deer (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) living in the wild but excluding farmed or escaped farmed deer.

Feral deer range in size and colour, depending upon the species. Generally, however, feral deer are various shades of brown.

Feral deer are opportunist and highly adaptable feeders that can both browse and graze. In forested areas, feral deer will destroy the under-storey of vegetation which, when combined with possum damage to the upper canopy, can result in the severe deterioration of forested areas.

The Department of Conservation is implementing a region-wide programme of containment or eradication with respect to feral deer in Taranaki that targets the eastern hill country.

Goats

Feral goats are goats that are free ranging, and are not in a farmed situation.
They vary in size and colour, have a high productive rate and prosper in a wide range of habitats, particularly in forested areas or areas adjacent to pasture and scrub margins.

Goats destroy the under-storey of vegetation which, when combined with possum damage to the upper canopy, can result in the severe deterioration of forested areas.

Pigs

Feral pigs are smaller and more muscular than domestic pigs and have massive forequarters and smaller, shorter hindquarters. They can prosper in a wide range of habitats but their preferred habitats are in forested areas, pasture and scrub margins or reverting farmland on good soils.

More significant is the impact of feral pigs on indigenous biodiversity values. Where present in large numbers, feral pigs will eat the tops and dig up the roots of indigenous flora resulting in the decline of some species. Feral pigs may also have a significant effect on the diversity, vigour and even survival of rare native fauna. For example, by feeding on remnant populations of indigenous land snails, eating bird eggs and 'rooting' up and completely destroying the litter habitat.

Kiwis are threatened either directly when eggs are eaten, or when the pigs upset the litter ecosystem upon which Kiwi depend for food.

Loss of Habitat

Expansion of farming operations (crushing, rolling and burning) could result in the death of kiwi and eggs when machinery clears an area, the desertion of nests, loss of habitat and death from burning. Stock trampling in bush will change the habitat, and may upset kiwi.

This can be mitigated by the protection of habitat from stock by fencing, and applying covenants on significant areas of bush. It can be also done by allowing regeneration, leaving forest pockets and corridors for wildlife, hand-clearing where possible and avoiding fires or ensuring no kiwi are in the burn area.

Accidental Poisoning or Entrapment

Leghold traps

Timms traps (infrequent kiwi capture)

Cyanide (kiwi are inquisitive and will die if they sniff the poison)

1080 (Kiwi have been monitored closely during recent 1080 programmes, and no deaths have been shown due to secondary poisoning. Research is also underway to gauge any long term effects of 1080.

Solutions to these problems include the setting of traps and poisons off the ground. In addition Research is being carried out to be certain poisons are safe to kiwi. Lures are also being developed to which kiwi are not attracted.

Self Help

If you have a kiwi population on your land, and you would like more information about protecting kiwi, or how to set up a trapping programme, .

If you wish to build your own trap boxes or buy traps, click here Traps and tunnels*

*Please note that the instructions for the lid screws state 40mm screws, this should be 50mm long.

Other Pages

Kiwi in Taranaki
Kiwi Presence Survey Maps

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