THE MORGANFOUNDATIONThinking for the future

THE MORGANFOUNDATIONThinking for the future

THE MORGANFOUNDATIONThinking for the future

How will we know the project is successful?To confirm the eradication has been successful, comprehensive monitoring will be carried out in 2018 when it will be easy to detect any mice that may have survived. A number of monitoring tools will be used, including rodent detection dogs, tracking tunnels, chew tags and or traps.

Budget:

$3.9 million OVER 3 YEARSThe project is jointly funded by the Department of Conservation, Morgan Foundation, WWF-New Zealand, Island Conservation and the New Zealand public.

ERADICATING MICE from AntipodesWhat’s the problem? Infrastructure to

support the projectWhat’s the solution? What will make this a successful operation?

ACCOMMODATION Biodiversity hut sleeps 6 Historic castaway depot sleeps 1–2 2 temporary shelters for additional

accommodation and storage

HELICOPTER PLATFORM & TEMPORARY HANGAR to protect the helicopters and 5 construction staff to help set up.

2012 The project was initiated in 2012 with Gareth Morgan leading a public campaign to raise money. The eradication would not be possible without the generosity of the NZ public and the partners.

2014Planning for operation began. The logistics of the operation are highly complex and detailed planning is crucial for the project’s success.

The project aims to eradicate mice from Antipodes Island to protect the island’s precious plants and animals. Rodent poison baits will be aerially spread over the island by helicopters using specialised underslung bait-spreading buckets.

THE CHALLENGES

Remoteness – the Antipodes Island Group is 760 km south-east of Dunedin

Weather – generally bad weather No harbour – to shelter ships Limited infrastructure

The Antipodes Island Group is one of the most remote in New Zealand.

Dunedinsouth-east

760 km

Antiopo

des

Mice are the only introduced pest mammals on Antipodes Island Nature Reserve and World Heritage Area.

Mice were accidentally introduced, possibly by a shipwreck or sealers in the 1800s. Mice are having direct ecological impacts by eating huge numbers of seeds, invertebrates and the eggs of smaller birds. Mice have been recorded preying on seabird chicks including albatross chicks on other subantarctic islands.

VALUES OF ANTIPODES 21 species of seabirds breed on Antipodes 4 unique species

of ground birds 100s of species

of special insects and plants

MICE:

200,000 (estimated mouse population)

per ha.

That’s up to

150

MEDIC The eradication team includes a medic with pre-hospital field experience including medical roles on eradications on Macquarie Island and South Georgia Island.

BAIT

65,500 kgPestoff® Rodent Bait 20R is a cereal bait specifically targeted to mice. The pellets contain 20 parts per million (ppm) (0.002%) of the anticoagulant brodifacoum. Bait will be transported and stored in 94 purpose-built bait pods to ensure it is protected until use.

2 SEPARATE TREATMENTS

each requiring approximately 2 to 4 full days of flying with two helicopters to complete.

3 HELICOPTERS One AS350 B2 Squirrel helicopter One AS350 Squirrel FX2 helicopter, each flying 700 kg bait loads One Robinson 44 support helicopter to provide search and rescue capability

and backup bait-spreading should one Squirrel become inoperable

3 GROUND SUPPORT CREW

Technical ground support includes a helicopter engineer, a GIS expert and an eradication expert. 13 PERSON

OPERATIONAL TEAM

16 kg/ha for treatment one.

8 kg/ha for treatment two.

TOTAL TREATMENT AREA

2045 haAerial baiting is scheduled to begin in winter from 1 June 2016. Winter timing is critical as mice are at their lowest: food is scarce and mice are not breeding. Most seabirds are also away at this time.

HIGHLY SKILLED HELICOPTER PILOTS

The conditions on Antipodes are typically misty and windy – pilots experienced in such adverse conditions are essential to be able to spread bait accurately.

2GPS

The basic principle for successful eradication requires bait to be available in the home range of every mouse. The GPS display generates flight lines to guide the pilot. The flight paths are recorded and coverage analysed via the GPS system to ensure there are no gaps.

For more information:

SUPPLY SHIP The Norfolk Guardian is 76 m long and will carry three helicopters along with the bait and fuel cargo to Antipodes.

PASSENGER VESSELThe Evohe is a 25 m expedition sailing vessel. It will transport most of the eradication team to the Antipodes.

NORFOLK GUARDIAN

Published by | Department of Conservation, PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143, New ZealandEditing and design | Publishing Team, DOC National Office | April 2016

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