Rangitoto & Motutapu islands restoration project

The Auckland Conservancy has embarked on an ambitious and exciting programme to restore the iconic Rangitoto and Motutapu islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

The restoration of these islands will protect the world's largest pohutukawa forest, and will provide a 3,800ha environment that could support some of New Zealand's most loved wildlife, including kaka, kiwi and takahe. It will create an accessible, iconic nature sanctuary right on Auckland's front door step.

What does the project involve?

The project will remove the seven remaining mammalian pests - feral cats, rabbits, stoats, hedgehogs, Norway rats, ship rats and mice - from Rangitoto and Motutapu islands. This builds on the successful removal of possums and wallabies from the islands in the 1990s, and the reforestation of parts of Motutapu.

Motutapu Island with Rangitoto Island
in the background

This is a flagship project, due to its size, complexity and proximity to Auckland city. It will be the next step in a long line of island restoration programmes following pest eradications that have been happening in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park since the 1990s.  

For example, in 1993 Tiritiri Matangi Island was successfully cleared of mammalian pests using the same method, and is now one of our most popular open sanctuaries, attracting around 35,000 people a year to view endangered wildlife such as takahe, kaka and kokako.

How will pests be removed?

The most efficient way to eliminate all of these pests is through a combination of poisoning (particularly for rodents) and trapping.

The eradication will begin with three aerial applications of rodent bait containing brodifacoum between June and August 2009. Brodifacoum has been identified as the most effective poison for eradicating rodents in this situation.

Stoat

Brodifacoum is found in the rat poison commonly bought in supermarkets and hardware stores. For more information on Brodifacoum, see the Rangitoto & Motutapu restoration project - rodent eradication fact sheet (PDF, 305K).

Experience of more than 50 island eradications around New Zealand has shown that aerial bait application is the only way of successfully removing rodents from large islands. It's a method that is safe and proven to work, and prevents rodents from becoming bait shy and surviving to repopulate the island.

What will this mean for visitors?

For public safety, the islands will be closed to the public for a period of one week after each of the three bait applications, which will occur between June and October 2009.

At other times people can visit the islands but will need to keep on formed tracks and roads. Any baits seen should be left alone.

How can you help look after these islands?

A successful eradication will create the largest pest-free island sanctuary (3,842ha) in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, and one of the largest pest-free islands in New Zealand, less than 30 minutes via ferry from downtown Auckland City.

Planting on Motutapu

Once Rangitoto and Motutapu have become pest free, we'll need your help to keep them that way, by being vigilant about any rodent stowaways and reporting any sightings of pests or inappropriate behaviour on the islands.

Prevention is better than cure, so we are asking visitors to reduce the risk of pests reinvading. Simple steps you can take include:

• Checking your boat, bags and equipment for stowaways before you leave the mainland.
• Check you gear, especially footwear, for seeds and soil.
• Recreational boat owners should look for rodent and ant signs before departure and owners of large boats should keep traps or rodent bait on board.
• Land only during the day - rodents are more active at night.

For more information on what you can do to help protect conservation islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, visit www.treasureislands.co.nz.

How you can find out more

Please visit the Rangitoto & Motutapu restoration project update webpage. 

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