Project details
Taranaki Mounga is an ambitious project to protect Te Papakura o Taranaki, previously known as Egmont National Park, from weed and animal pests, and return diminished or lost native species over a 20-year timeframe. The project works with the Department of Conservation and supports Towards Predator-Free Taranaki and the Taranaki Regional Council’s development of a biodiversity halo to minimise pest reinvasion from around the park’s surrounding hinterland into the 100km perimeter.
The adjoining Kaitake Ranges are also undergoing extensive predator control efforts, as part of a multi-organisation approach to achieve Towards Predator-Free Taranaki’s Zero Possum project. It is a New Zealand-first as it sets out not to simply control possum numbers, but to eradicate them from a 4,500ha area including 2,300ha of the Kaitake Range, 2,000ha of Kaitake farmland and Oākura town.
There have been four earlier aerial control operations completed in this project area. These were 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2016. Each operation resulted in a huge reduction of predators, for the benefit of indigenous flora and fauna. The 2016 operation also involved some of the pilot stages of the development of the Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP) initiated possum eradication initiatives. This covered approximately 1,600 hectares where a double prefeed with high toxic sowing rate was trialled, and heavily overlapping swaths were used, like the specifications that were eventually used in the Kaitake Range 2019 project.
Epro were selected to help design, project manage and deliver the aerial control for both projects. This required extensive consultation and visitations to surrounding landowners to supply further information about the project, techniques and seek consent when needed. Aerial predator control was eventually delivered over 36,000ha in Te Papakura o Taranaki and Kaitake Ranges, greatly reducing possum and rat numbers.
As part of the control project Epro delivered ground control to areas that couldn’t be aerially baited, due to stock location, fencing, landowner consent, statutory limitations, or water supply restrictions.

Technique/Methodology
Combining two separate projects with separate methodologies requires careful planning, project management, resourcing, and contract management. The two projects required separate sow rates, bait sizes, type and lures, and the Kaitake Range project required two prefeed applications for each of the two delivery cycles. Both project areas were flown with 50% overlaps on each swath to reduce the chance that target animals would not encounter bait. This results in longer flying time and therefore larger weather windows for best baiting conditions, which would be challenging as three application visits would be needed.
Due to the exposed nature of the project area, two of the three application cycles were planned for delivery in early autumn, when the weather is usually more settled in this region. This was also timed to be outside the busy summer months for visitors in the National Park, and before the active winter months with a ski field, popular walks, huts, and visitor attractions all within the park. The second Kaitake Ranges application cycle was completed in spring.

Outcome
Monitoring showed that after the 2019 Taranaki Mounga project, rat numbers dropped from 93% to 3% and possums were reduced from 61% to 10%. Feral cats and mustelids will have also been killed as they ate rat and possum carcasses. The Kaitake Ranges aerial project saw further significant reductions in their possum eradication project area, and they are now releasing kiwi into the Kaitake Ranges.
We love working on these types of complex projects, where delivery is coordinated to achieve the best control outcomes, using innovative methods, for the best value. We enjoy working with clients, landowners, iwi, community, and stakeholders to create these fantastic outcomes for our native flora and fauna. The project delivery has given threatened species such as whio and kiwi a chance to successfully breed and raise their young. This operation was part of a much larger multi-tool approach to predator control, which one day will allow the return of lost birds such as kākā and kōkako to the mounga.

Epro are proud to have again been selected to deliver the Taranaki Mounga and Kaitake Range projects in 2023.
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