With the pest eradication programme currently underway, visitors to Motutapu and Rangitoto need to observe new bio-security precautions to keep the island free from pests.

It’s really important that we keep Rangitoto and Motutapu free from pests. Please note the following rules are now in place in relation to travel to Rangitoto and Motutapu:

Packs, bags, containers
All bags and containers should be able to be sealed (see below for more info). Check for mice, insects, seeds & soil & remove if found. Once packed, keep bags closed, zipped up tight and remember to recheck them on the morning of departure.
(A mouse was found during a self bag check of a visitor to the Karori Sanctuary in Wellington recently. Karori Sanctuary is a mainland island with a predator fence around it. Mice compete for food with our native species and eat insects and lizards)

Footwear
Check laces & seams for seeds. Check boot treads for soil & seeds. Clean if required.

Clothing
Check pockets for seeds and clean if required.

Food
Pack all food in sealed containers free from insects

Dogs and other animals
Not allowed

NI brown kiwi killed by a dog - photo Wendy Sporle

Rodent and Insect Proof Containers
How can I tell if it's good enough?

Packs
Backpacks, daypacks,college bags and other material bags that can be sealed by a draw string or zipper are acceptable. Packs that are in poor condition are not suitable.

Cardboard Boxes
Solid cardboard boxes with no holes and that are taped closed are acceptable although not ideal as they can fall aparat if they get wet or are damaged in transit. Banana boxes, boxes with holes or boxes that cannot be sealed are not suitable.

Plastic Bins
These are the ideal containers for transporting gear to the island as they are usually robust enough to withstand rough handling. Containers must have tight fittng lids and not be overpacked. Fish bins, chilly bins,and poly pails are all included in this category.

Plastic Bags
PVC dry bags are acceptable as are super thick plastic bags, in other words the plastic must be thicker than your average rubbish sack as these are prone to tearing. All bags must be securely sealed or tied before being taken on board the ferry. Open plastic bags, shopping bags and the like are not acceptable.

What are these pests and what damage can they do......

Rats
Ship rats can swim at least 500m and Norway rats up to 1km. They could easily swim from a moored boat to the island. Rats have significant impacts on native plants and animals, in particular native birds, lizards and insects. They eat small animals, eggs and young birds They also eat large quantities of native fruits and seeds both from the ground and trees (particularly ship rats which are good climbers). This has serious implications for our native plant regeneration.

Ship rats - photo Rod Morris

Stoats and feral cats
These guys can have a devastating effect on native birds, eating both adults and their young.

stoat - photo courtesy of DOC                     native skinks removed from a cats stomach 
photo - Alison Cree

Mice
Not known to invade islands by swimming, all recorded invasions have been through the transport of stores and equipment. Mice complete for food with our native species and eat insects and lizards.

mouse eating kiekie fruit - photo David Mudge

Hedgehogs
They are not the benign snuffling creatures that many of us may have thought. They are a serious threat to endangered native skinks and invertebrates (animals without a backbone). They are known to predate on the eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds.

hedgehog - photo courtesy of DOC

Seeds
Weed seeds easily attach themselves to shoes, laces, velcro, and tend to nestle in your pockets. Weeds threaten our native flora and cost DOC thousands of dollars each year and your restoration volunteers hundreds of manhours all year round on Motutapu.

Ants
Because of their sheer numbers, appetite and aggressiveness, Argentine ants can have a massive impact on the natural environment by eliminating other species of (native) ants, competing with native birds for food such as insects and worms, competing with native birds and lizards for nectar and displacing and killing native invertebrates.

Argentine ant