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Tracking Tunnels Project

Tracking Tunnels Project. “What other creatures share our Kiwi’s habitat?” Which ones do our kiwi prey upon and which might prey upon our kiwi?. Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland. Turere Tracking Tunnel System. 6 lines of 10 tracking tunnels spaced 50 metres apart (60 tunnels in all)

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Tracking Tunnels Project

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  1. Tracking Tunnels Project “What other creatures share our Kiwi’s habitat?” Which ones do our kiwi prey upon and which might prey upon our kiwi? Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  2. Turere Tracking Tunnel System • 6 lines of 10 tracking tunnels spaced 50 metres apart (60 tunnels in all) • Designated sequentially from “XA 1-10” to “XF 1-10” • Covers most of the area where our kiwi are currently found and where future additions are likely to roam Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  3. Initial Tunnel Deployment • The first tunnel (XA1) was deployed just above the Whakanui Track at the top end of the Turere Valley • Paul Howard assisted us with the radio tracking gear so that we did not disturb any sleeping kiwi! • Sean Crossland is shown assembling the lightweight Gotcha! Traps “Black Trakka” tracking tunnel before pinning it in place on level ground Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  4. Folding the tunnels into shape… Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  5. Locating the tunnels… • Within the constraints of our 50 metre spacing regimen and compass bearing, where possible, we tried to place the tunnels into suitably flat areas that were also likely animal trails and where the ground was firm enough to support them • Tunnels were pinned into place using two “U-shaped” wire pegs. Our initial concerns about the pegs being too flimsy for the task have subsequently proved unfounded Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  6. GPS coordinates for each tunnel • All tunnel locations were marked by GPS and entered into our database • A triangular yellow marker was affixed to a nearby tree showing the unique number for each tunnel location (e.g. “XB3”) • Access tracks were marked predominantly with yellow ribbon (though a few are marked in places with orange ribbon) Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  7. Quarterly Monitoring Cycle • Timed to coincide with GWRC monitoring efforts elsewhere • Tunnels baited and tracking cards retrieved during 3-day sets each quarter commencing November, February, May, August • On the 1st day all cards are baited with peanut butter and inserted into the tunnels • On the 2nd day, all cards are retrieved and a smaller sample of tunnels are baited with rabbit meat • On the 3rd day (usually a couple of days later) the remaining cards are retrieved for analysis and reporting – and the tunnels are left empty until the next cycle begins… Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  8. Tracking Pad Results Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

  9. Additional information • The “Black Trakka” tracking tunnels were designed & manufactured in New Zealand by Gotcha! Traps Limited… (www.gotchatraps.co.nz) • There’s an excellent DoC guide to footprint identification on tracking tunnel papers available in the downloads section of our website… (www.rimutakatrust.org.nz) Peter Cooper & Sean Crossland

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