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On the Thames Coast, around 20 years ago, vigilant locals knew that the local kiwi population was on the verge of collapse. Thames Coast Kiwi Care was formed in 2006 with the mission: “To protect and enhance kiwi populations on the Thames Coast”.

We wanted to ‘hear kiwi calling from backyards again’. This dream has become reality as Te Mātā locals are reporting a significant increase in kiwi foot prints, calls and also sightings over the past few years.

We now have around 350 kiwi in our recovery area!

This is an incredible achievement by our community, with essentially ten times the 2006 kiwi population now present locally.

Wonderful Kiwi Footage!

We’re thrilled to share a short trail camera compilation from the burrow of sires Taringamā and his family. It captures adorable moments from their lives but also worrying has some unwanted cameo appearances from you know who.

Our Effort
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Kiwi resident (approx)
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Hectares protected
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Volunteer hours per year

Trapping is crucial for protecting and enhancing the local kiwi population.

TCKC operates a comprehensive grid of traps targeting stoats, weasels, ferrets & feral cats over thousands of hectares. A team of committed volunteer trappers clear, service, and re-bait the traps 16 times per year.

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Traps deployed
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Project Area Trapping Data

This map represents real-time mustelid trapping data from our project area, including the count of total predators removed.  An outer hexagon represents trap density for the area, and the the inner hexagon represents catches. The more red the colour, the higher the density / catches.

Touch a hexagon for breakdown numbers per trap. AT220 trap data coming soon.

Thanks to Groundtruth and Trap.NZ for this amazing resource!

Project area trapping data map legend

Kiwi are prolific breeders given the chance.  If New Zealand had its predator problem under control, we’d be knee deep in kiwi!

New Possum and Rat Project

For the first time we are trapping possums and actively targeting rats as well as mustelids, thanks to a 4 year funding grant from the Waikato Regional Council. We are using AT220 self-setting rat and possum traps to support the existing trap lines and create a buffer zone to public conservation land. We started at Tapu and have trap lines at 2 locations moving north into the Te Mātā Forestry boundary. Whilst the project is still in its early phase, monthly monitoring has provided a promising picture. Data shows a significant catch rate, with 157 possums and 91 rats caught across 25 traps.

The next phase is to continue with trap placement, moving deeper into Te Mātā Forestry which is a possum hotspot. As funding allows, we will add more traps with another 50 expected to be added in July 2023. An important aspect of the project is to measure success not just by possum and rats killed, but by the positive impact on the wider biodiversity such as diverse returning bird species. Shortly, surveys will be undertaken to accurately monitor the number of bird species within our project area. We look forward to having everything from birds to bugs bouncing back as more pests are removed! This project has only been made possible by the Waikato Regional Council’s Natural Heritage Fund, the development of self setting traps and the support of NZ Autotraps.

AT220 NZ AutoTraps
AT220 photo courtesy NZ AutoTraps

LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS

👉Join us to help us protect kiwi & native wildlife on the Thames Coast! 👈We are looking for a trapper to share our "Coast Line" an easy but important project boundary line of 12 x DOC 200 traps along the Thames Coast Road between Tapu & Te Mātā that can be done mostly by car. This would suit a retired person who lives up the Thames Coast who can give around 2 hours per month to help protect local kiwi. Full training is given, opportunities to socialise with our team of 60+ volunteers & the added bonus of protecting Doterels at the same time. 🙂For more info please call 0220 120 194 or email: coordinator@thamescoastkiwicare.org ... See MoreSee Less
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It's mating season and a good time to catch possums. Here's a tip on one way to go about it, we wouldn't use leg hold traps in areas with kiwi but other types of kill traps or bait stations would do the trick. ... See MoreSee Less
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👀Te Mātā locals please keep an eye out...👀Over the past few months, we have installed a 2km AT220 trapline just north of the Te Mātā River. Unfortunately, on several occasions, the trapline was found to be vandalised with ramps & batteries removed & traps removed from trees. We repaired & reinstalled them but the vandalism escalated to the traps being thrown in Te Mātā River. TCKC came to the tough decision to remove the whole trapline to protect our AT220 traps. This came at a huge cost to our valuable funds for the project. We don't know who may have tampered with and damaged our traps, if locals have seen or know anything it would be greatly appreciated if this information could be passed on to TCKC.Outside of this unfortunate situation, we have been making great progress with our Rat and Possum Expansion Project that began early last year. ... See MoreSee Less
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A cool little doco on Operation Nest Egg starring our friends from Moehau Environment Group (& the TCKC road sign! 😆) ... See MoreSee Less
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Love taonga kiwi, beautiful forests & precious native wildlife?🌳💘Sadly they are under constant attack and need your help! 🐀A donation or membership to TCKC is a much cheaper & far more sustainable expression of love than a bunch of roses! 🌹👀Please show your loved one how awesome you are by supporting us today! 🥰DONATE www.thamescoastkiwicare.org/donate-cc/MEMBERSHIP (just $25/year) www.thamescoastkiwicare.org/membership/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Photo wall
Beautiful juvenile kiwi
TCKC Coordinator Sheena Beaton demonstrates predator traps
Scanning for kiwi transponders
Kiwi chick Ngawari Tiwhiri
Sheena Beaton and Neil John, Ollie the kiwi's release 2021
Early trap line deployment, 2006.
Eggs mustered as part of Operation Nest Egg
Trailcam photo of wild kiwi, Te Mata.
Bob Carr and Robert Mannes, trapline working bee
Coordinator Sheena Beaton in kiwi costume
TCKC Fundraiser 2017
Kiwi chick weighed, Operation Nest Egg, 2020.
WIld kiwi print in the mud
Coordinator Sheena Beaton gives a presentation to local community