Trapping Programme

Predator control is at the heart of the Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust's work. Since 2010, volunteers have developed and maintained an extensive trapping network across the forests, wetlands and coastal margins of Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet.

Today the network covers approximately 700 hectares and includes more than 640 traps targeting key introduced predators such as possums, rats, stoats and feral cats. The programme combines modern self-resetting traps with conventional trapping methods to provide year-round protection for native wildlife.

Our volunteers regularly service trap lines, maintain tracks and record trapping results. This information allows us to monitor predator populations, assess the effectiveness of our work and continually improve the programme.

The trapping network helps protect some of the Marlborough Sounds' most valuable habitats, including the nationally significant lowland forest of Howden's Bush, native wetlands at the head of the inlet, and extensive areas of regenerating forest. By reducing predator numbers, we are creating safer conditions for native birds, lizards, invertebrates and other wildlife to thrive.

The success of the programme is increasingly reflected in bird monitoring results, with growing numbers of native birds being recorded and species such as fernbird and South Island robin returning to areas where they had not been seen for many years.

Bird Monitoring

Monitoring bird populations is one of the most important ways we measure the success of our conservation work. Since 2017, the Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust has undertaken annual bird monitoring across the project area using the nationally recognised Five Minute Bird Count method.

A network of monitoring stations is surveyed each year by an professional ornithologist, providing a consistent record of bird abundance and diversity over time. The information collected helps us understand how bird species are responding to predator control and habitat restoration efforts.

Results have shown encouraging trends, with increasing numbers of native birds being recorded across the inlet. Species such as kererū, tūī, bellbird and fantail are now commonly observed, while more recent monitoring has recorded species such as fernbird and rifleman in areas where they were previously absent or rarely seen.

By continuing to monitor bird populations, we can track changes in ecosystem health, celebrate conservation successes and identify opportunities to further improve habitat for native wildlife throughout Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet.

Pest Monitoring

Effective conservation relies on good information. The Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust uses Trap.NZ to record and analyse data from our trapping network, allowing us to monitor pest populations and measure the effectiveness of our control programmes.

Every trap check, predator capture and maintenance activity is recorded in Trap.NZ. This information helps us identify trends in possum, rat, stoat and feral cat activity, assess the performance of different trap lines, and target areas where additional effort may be needed.

The data also provides valuable evidence of the impact of our work. By tracking pest numbers over time, we can demonstrate reductions in predator populations and compare these changes with bird monitoring and other ecological indicators.

Using Trap.NZ ensures that our decisions are based on reliable information and enables us to report outcomes to volunteers, funders, partners and the wider community. It is an important tool in helping us achieve long-term conservation gains across Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet.

Trail Camera Monitoring

Trail cameras are an important tool used by the Trust to better understand the wildlife and pest activity within the project area. Motion-activated cameras are deployed at selected locations throughout the inlet to record the presence of both native species and introduced predators.

The cameras provide valuable information that complements our trapping and bird monitoring programmes. They help identify which pest species are present, detect animals that may be avoiding traps, and monitor changes in activity over time. Trail cameras have also been used to confirm the presence of species such as fernbird and to monitor the effectiveness of predator control in key habitats.

By providing a window into the behaviour of wildlife that is often difficult to observe directly, trail cameras help guide management decisions and improve our understanding of the ecosystems we are working to protect and restore across Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet.

Wasp Control

Introduced German and common wasps are a significant threat to native ecosystems in the Marlborough Sounds. During summer and autumn they can reach very high numbers, competing with native birds and insects for food, particularly honeydew, and preying on a wide range of native invertebrates.

To reduce this impact, the Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust operates a seasonal wasp control programme across key areas of the project. Using a network of bait stations, volunteers target wasp nests during peak activity periods when control is most effective.

The programme focuses on protecting high-value native habitats, including Howden's Bush and surrounding forests, where reducing wasp numbers helps native birds, insects and other wildlife access important food resources. Monitoring by volunteers suggests that wasp numbers have declined in areas where control has been maintained.

Wasp control complements our predator trapping programme and is an important part of creating healthier, more resilient ecosystems throughout Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet.