Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research and Predator Free Rakiura collaborating on world-first predator eradication project
On 5 July 2022 representatives from Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research and Predator Free Rakiura signed a significant research partnership agreement worth a joint $2.8 million over 4 years to work together towards ridding Rakiura/Stewart Island of all major predators - possums, rats, feral cats and hedgehogs.
A predator eradication project of this combined size and complexity has never been attempted before. It will be the biggest island predator eradication ever attempted globally and will also be a world-first predator free project on an inhabited island. Rakiura is around 180,000 hectares in size and has a population of 400 permanent residents. As a haven for native species, a predator-free Rakiura will protect these taonga for generations to come and enable nature and community to thrive.
Posted on: Wednesday, 6 July 2022
