The client’s objective was to protect breeding pairs of blue duck (whio) throughout the Wangapeka, Fyfe, and Loadstone catchment in the Kahurangi National Park from pests such as rats and stoats.
Pest traps are placed throughout the catchment and require periodic re-baiting. Nelmac flew in five staff to this remote catchment to spend three days tramping many hectares to check, clean and re-bait 200 double-box traps.
Members of the team needed to be extremely fit, capable of working alone, and able to navigate through the catchment. While working they also made accurate recordings of the protected species.
As part of DOC's Whio (Native Blue Duck) Recovery Project, Nelmac's Biosecurity team cover over 100 kms of wild terrain on foot every month, to manage 54 kms of trap line. Professional, committed and feared by stoats everywhere - these guys are also pretty darn cool.