urban predator control - people, cities & nature · 1.3 predators 9-– h 4 •measure (index)...
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H Urban predator control
John Innesa, Neil Fitzgeralda
Stephen Hartleyb, Deb Wilsona, Chris Woolleyb
Hamilton
24 May 2019
a Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
b Victoria University, Wellington
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C. W
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1.3 Predators
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• Understand and manage the unique predator profile of urban habitats− Inadequate understanding limits effective management
• Urban predators not well known, but likely to differ from rural and wilderness
ecosystems
• Five cities− Three throughout: Hamilton, Wellington, Dunedin
− Two once: Tauranga, New Plymouth
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• Measure (index) the abundance of key mammal pests
o Possums, rats (ship and Norway), cats, hedgehogs, mustelids, mice
• In three habitat types
o Residential areas,
o Amenity parks
o “Wild” reserves
• Safe tools, consistent methods
- Tracking tunnels
Rodents: peanut butter, 1 night
Mustelids: Erayz, 6 nights
- Chew cards
- Trail cameras
Tracking tunnels:rats, mice, hedgehogs
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Chew cards:rats, possums
mouse
hedgehog
human
rat
Trail cameras:everything, including
mustelids & cats
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Cherie Balls, MSc, Victoria (Stephen Hartley)Mammal monitoring tools
• High (85-94%) consistency of ID between cities.
• Chew cards: Effectively detected possums, rats [mice]
• Tracking tunnels: Effectively detected hedgehogs, rats and mice
• Neither effectively detected mustelids (few present)
• Recommend use chew and track cards for 6 nights, plus cameras.
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01
98
Mean % detection
after 1 and 6
nights; 3 cities
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E 9 : most hedgehogs and possums
1 night/TT/pb: rats, mice, h/h
6 nights/TT/Erayze: mustelids
6 nights/CTC/pb: possums
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0 : most mice, very few possums
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: moderate detections all species
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2 Hamilton trail cams – preliminary collation – all photos
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3 Hammond Park ferret, 6 November 2018, 2.38 a.m.
Hamilton urban bird nest success
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OTHER URBAN:
48% successful - urban Hamilton, Morgan et al. 2011
60% successful – urban Dunedin, Van Heezik et al. 2008
‘REMOTE, WILD’:
27% successful - unmanaged, mainland sites, 13 species, 24 studies; Innes et al. 2010
year # nests % success % fail % unknown
2017 27 63 30 7
2018 35 40 60 0
1.2 Lizards
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• Restore urban lizard fauna in four cities
• Chris Woolley, VUW PhD candidate
People-nature disconnectUrban lizard review: Results
Extirpated lizards were:
• Bigger
• More nocturnal
• Lower reproductive outputs
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9Gecko diversity
@theurbanlizard
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WellingtonHamilton DunedinNelson
Lizard surveys: results so far
@theurbanlizard
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No gecko reports from HamiltonNeil Fitzgerald
Copper from Hamilton GardensChris Woolley
Rainbow from Innes CommonChris Woolley
Copper skinkChris Woolley
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IN THE NEXT YEAR…
• Control predators
- in Hamilton: Onukutara and Hamilton Gardens
• Monitor predators and biodiversity
- in Hamilton: bird nesting, lizards, inverts
www.peoplecitiesnature.co.nz