It’s Whio Awareness Week!
Did you know that Whio Awareness Week runs from Friday 21 March until Sunday 6 April?
This is a special time to raise awareness of this precious blue duck, to take action for whio and to celebrate all the amazing hard work people across New Zealand are doing to protect whio. We’ve included some Tasman Environment Trust and MCC stories about awesome actions being taken to protect whio in our rohe.
Department of Conservation whio competition
As part of this week, here’s a competition you can enter which runs until the 6th of April where you submit photos, stories and/or videos about whio.
Stopping ferrets in their tracks
Tasman Environment Trust included this story in their latest newsletter and it’s worth a read. It’s about the discovery of ferrets in our area, including the Kahurangi and the Motueka Valley. Ferrets are a huge threat to our native endangered whio. So Farmers for Whio and Friends of Flora have gotten involved to help design some ferret specific traps.
The Predator Free Activator Initiative in Nelson and Tasman
While you reading Tasman Environment Trust stories about predator control, have a read of this article too which explains the predator free activator role in Nelson and Tasman – . This role is being carried out by Elaine Asquith. Elaine has provided invaluable input to the Motueka Catchment Collective on a number of occassions about trapping contacts, guidance around trapping and resources available.
Profile – Farmers for Whio By Barry Burger
This story covered by MCC last year talks about the work Farmers for Whio, lead by Barry Burger, are doing to protect whio.
At that time Farmers for Whio had caught 3570 pests, including 561 mustelids, 2453 rats, 403 hedgehogs, as well as feral cats, possums, mice and the occasional bunny. WOW!
Let’s get trapping!
This region is very well supported with plenty of support and expertise to get stuck into trapping. The Motueka catchment community needs to get on board the trapping bandwagon! See our other posts in this newsletter about how you can sign up to receive cheap traps.
