A private conservation block in the Coromandel is teeming with life thanks to four generations of one family.
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Almost 100 years of care has secured a 4000-hectare pocket of flourishing native bush home to a healthy population of 150 endangered brown kiwi and flocks of kererū up to 100 strong.

People feeding kea in South Island high Country car parks have made the intelligent and curious alpine parrots more likely to nibble things they shouldn't - including a pest control poison.

The Department of Conservation is concerned after a higher percentage of rats than expected have survived the first 1080 drops intended to battle this year's "mega mast".
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This year's build-up of the rat population in New Zealand forests can be attributed to unusually high seed production, called a mast, experts have said.

An aerial 1080 drop in the Kāpiti Coast foothills of the Tararua Ranges is planned for next February after being postponed in spring this year.
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Poor weather prevented the possum control operation over 10,900 hectares of bush and forest between Akatarawa Road in Reikorangi and the Ōtaki River prior to the Christmas-New Year period, when the area is popular with recreational users.

A far North community that pitched in to save an ancient forest from possums and rats now has a new enemy to contend with - kauri dieback.

​Warawara forest in North Hokianga has been bouncing back after a 1080 poison drop last spring and intensive trapping on surrounding farmland.

But scientists have now confirmed the presence of the kauri killing pathogen phytopthera agathidicida (PTA) around trees on private land in the Puapua area, just north west of the forest.

Via RadioNZ

1080 poison will be dropped over hundreds of thousands hectares this winter as part of the largest ever pest control operation in New Zealand.

The government has today announced $20.7 million of new operating funding as part of the 2015/16 budget.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said the country's largest pest control operation was being conducted to fight against the rise in the pest population expected over the winter months which threaten native wildlife.

Auckland City Council

Auckland Council's planned pest control operation in the Hunua Ranges, surrounding reserve land and some private land, is close to getting underway.

From next week, the operational team will be closely watching the weather forecast to determine an optimal weather ‘window’ for the first stage of the operation.

Marlborough Express

A rat plague could be the end of the long-tailed bats native to the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, a conservation volunteer says.

Giant rats feeding on dropped seeds from the reserve's beech trees had caused an explosion in rat numbers threatening a population of tiny endangered bats roosting in the area.

It prompted Forest & Bird to roll out trapping and baiting of rats, stoats and possums this month to help protect bats.

The Marlborough Express


An increase in rat numbers has prompted the Department of Conservation (DOC) to push ahead with planned 1080 operations in the South Island.

Conservation Minister Nick Smith announced in January that DOC would aerially drop 1080 poison across 700,000 hectares of conservation land, mainly in the South Island, to curb rat and stoat numbers.