New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Z00002Received 5 April 2000; accepted 17 August 2000
Relative abundance of mammalian predators in the upper Waitaki Basin, South
Island, New Zealand
RACHEL J. KEEDWELL*
KERRY P. BROWN
Department of Conservation
Private Bag
Twizel, New Zealand
*Present address: Ecology Section, Institute of Natural
Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North.
Abstract An intensive predator trapping programme was
implemented in the upper Waitaki Basin, New Zealand from October 1997 to
January 1998. The aim of the programme was to prevent increased predation on
vulnerable braided river fauna following decline in rabbits due to rabbit
haemorrhagic disease (RHD). Fourteen sites were trapped using a standardised
method, and trap catch results provided a relative index of predator abundance.
In 101 650 trapnights, 1067 hedgehogs, 328 ferrets, 196 cats, 96 rats and 69
stoats were caught. Predator guilds varied among sites and guild composition
tended to change through time; for example, stoat and rat catch rates
increased. Cat and ferret catch rates increased in the last month of trapping,
which suggested that juvenile dispersal and immigration by adult predators from
surrounding areas were high. This study provides baseline information on
predator abundance and predator guilds in the upper Waitaki Basin against which
future trapping programmes can be compared, in order to assess changes in
predator populations since the introduction of RHD.
Keywords Predator abundance; cats (Felis catus);
ferrets (Mustela furo); stoats (M. erminea); hedgehogs
(Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis); rats (Rattus sp.); rabbit
haemorrhagic disease (RHD)
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2001, Vol. 28: 31-38
0301-4223/00/2801-0031 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New
Zealand 2001
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (535K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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