Tamatea rebait: 6th-8th February 2025

Volunteers who had given up their Waitangi weekend to be here, successfully rebaited the entire network on Mamaku/Indian Island & Long Island and still found time to enjoy the place. The audio recorders were recollected to be put back out to record the full spectrum in the coming trip.

We also had the pleasure to successfully trial thermal drones and conservation dogs to remove the deer off Mamaku/Indian island. From camera footage we believed there to be between three and four deer and three were shot prior to midday while one got away. Due to the trip only being a day and a half and other work needing to be carried out we didn't have the chance to run the system again but are over the moon with the proof of concept!

Highlights

 0% tracking on Mamaku/Indian Island
Three juvenile stoats were caught in snap traps
NO rat footage recorded on 11 out of 12 cameras
Lots of Kiwi footage - night & dayT
rial of thermal drones and conservation dogs to control deer

Volunteers

Darren Peters 
Gavin Sinclair
Adam Thompson
Ben Thompson
Claire Williamson
Gerard Hill
Jessi Morgan
Khan Adam
Robbie van Dam
Rusty Varcoe
Tony Le Bas

Crew

Sean Ellis 
Maria Kuster 
Rolf Pieren
Justine Chatrau
Charlotte Hutchins