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 and Tapu 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.
Thank you to everyone who brought their dogs along to the recent Kiwi Aversion Training in January — it was great to see such strong community support for kiwi protection. A big thank you as well to the KAT crew who ran the sessions and made the day such a success.
If you missed out, there are more Coromandel-based Kiwi Aversion Training sessions coming up (though not funded by TCKC). These are a great way to help keep kiwi safe by teaching dogs to avoid them.
Visit https://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/book to see future training.
We’re thrilled to share a short trail camera compilation from the burrow of sire Taringamā and his family. It captures special glimpses into their lives, moments that remind us why this work matters.
You’ll also note a few unwelcome appearances from you-know-who. These cameos highlight the very real pressures our native wildlife face and the importance of ongoing predator control and habitat protection.
This hexmap represents real-time trapping data from our project area. The more red the colour, the higher the number of catches or density of traps.
You can mouse-over the hexagons for breakdowns on species catches. You can also use the top left red menu buttons to display subsets of data: by project, species or trap.
Massive thanks to the smart people at Groundtruth and Trap.NZ for this amazing resource!
Our scope has expanded from solely protecting kiwi to a “whole of habitat” approach. Our updated mission is:
To work with our community to restore the habitat so kiwi and other native species thrive.
Since 2023, with funding from the Waikato Regional Council’s Natural Heritage Fund, our Rat and Possum project has been focused on restoring habitat so kiwi and other native species can thrive.
We have installed 276 AT220 traps to create a zone bordering the special DOC-managed Papakai Ecological Area, targeting possums and rats that damage native habitats. This project extends our existing kiwi protection work, which includes 1,150 DOC200 traps focused primarily on mustelid control. Each AT220 trap operates every night and is checked and serviced every two months by our dedicated Rat and Possum team, Mark and Gay Boenders.
From July 2025 to January 2026, 764 trap services have resulted in the removal of 561 possums and 5,882 rats.
Designed by NZ AutoTraps in Whakatāne, the AT220 traps automatically reset each night and dispense fresh lure, reducing labour while increasing effectiveness. They are programmed to be inactive during the day to protect native species.
Mark and Gay also conduct bird surveys, monitoring how habitat restoration supports increases in both bird numbers and species diversity.
In early 2025 we installed three listening devices that all confirmed the presence of our precious pekapeka tou roa, native long tailed bats. They have the highest threat ranking of Nationally Critical and effective predator control is essential to their survival as well.
This is a new focus for us to raise awareness and add additional protection for New Zealand’s only native land mammal that is critically endangered.
Watch this space!
Want to know more about these fascinating creatures? Visit the great New Zealand Geographic for a brilliant article: ‘Bat Signals’ by Jonathan Carson. Photographed by Rob Suisted.
Facebook Posts
Ever wondered what a kiwi actually sounds like?
And could you tell the difference between a male and a female call?
We’ve added clear recordings to our website — plus a comparison with a ruru (morepork), which is often mistaken for kiwi at night.
Have a listen! 🎧
www.thamescoastkiwicare.org
The calls of the North Island brown kiwi are distinctive, full of character, and loud! Notice the stark difference between the female and male calls.
For a bird that hides so well, they sure can be surprisingly loud.
#kiwi #bird #birding #wildlife
IDENTIFYING YOUR MUSTELIDS:
How well do you know them?
From left to right: weasel, ferret, stoat.
We're catching mostly weasels and stoats in the bush, as ferrets don't prefer forested areas due to being out competed by the other x2 (they don't climb as well as them) and their primary prey are rabbits.
If you have farmland and wetland areas then you'll have ferrets.
These are x3 of the worst predators ever introduced to Aotearoa. They devastate native wildlife that evolved with no mammalian predators — especially ground-nesting birds.
Every one we catch is a win for our ngahere and native species.
Right now is peak catch time for mustelids so keep bait fresh and check traps as often as you can.
Predator control saves lives. 🐦🌿
-Greg.
#saveourspecies #mustelids
Are you interested in pekapeka - NZ bats? Well we've got an event for you!
For the first time in 3 years, a National Pekapeka Hui will be held to celebrate these special species, connect our kaitiaki and conservation communities, and share tools, stories, research and knowledge.
When: 25-27 March 2026
Where: Rereteewhioi Marae, Waiuku.
Find out more here: www.pekapeka.org/pekapekahui2026
Mark it in your calendar, registrations open soon!
#bathui26 #nzbativists #NZPH2026 #pekapekapeople
Get trapping! Join Trap NZ
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www.thamescoastkiwicare.org
Thank you to everyone who brought their dogs along to the recent Kiwi Aversion Training in January — it was great to see such strong community support for kiwi protection. A big thank you as well to the KAT crew who ran the sessions and made the day such a success.
If you missed out, there are more Coromandel-based Kiwi Aversion Training sessions coming up (though not funded by TCKC). These are a great way to help keep kiwi safe by teaching dogs to avoid them.
Visit www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/book to see future training.
Save the Kiwi NZ
Support local ingenuity with the TrapEaze, designed by retired engineer and TCKC trapper Kevin Gouge.
TrapEaze is designed to make servicing DOC predator traps faster, safer, and easier in the field. Made from durable stainless steel, the TrapEaze DOC200 Trap Setting Tool securely holds the kill bar open while traps are checked, cleared, and reset, reducing hand strain and the risk of injury.
Lightweight and simple to use, it doubles as a hands-free setting aid, streamlining trap maintenance for volunteers and professionals alike. Ideal for conservation groups, community trapping projects, and serious backyard trappers, TrapEaze helps make predator control more efficient and safer for those working to protect Aotearoa’s native wildlife.
Check it out: www.trapeaze.co.nz
