Twenty years on, there are now five Forest and Bird traplines in areas of known high forest biodiversity around Makarora, managed by a roster of 25 volunteers. Andrew Penniket removes a decomposing rat caught in a Doc wooden box trap before resetting the trap and rebaiting it. Spring is the most important time to trap stoats, as it is when the male stoats visit the nest soon after the young are born to mate with the tiny female babies, as well as with the mother. Earlier this year, Doc announced a Makarora predator control operation plan developed in consultation with Forest and Bird Central Otago Lakes. kerrie.waterworth@odt.co.nzAt a glanceCatch rates for UCFB across all traplines:• 2016 total caught: 39 stoats, 40 rats, 13 mice, 31 hedgehogs and 3 possums.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 20, 2017 15:56 UTC