Image: Sabine Bernert | ©
A South Island robin perched on a large fern leaf.
Predator control operations 2019/20
In 2019/20 DOC ran a predator control programme over about one million hectares, or 12% of conservation land, in response to a large-scale beech mast.

The 2019/20 programme was funded from the Government’s Budget 2018 investment in predator control of $81.2 million over four years. This provides for sustained predator control over an increased area of public conservation land. It also allows DOC to deal with predator plagues in forest mast years.

Further information

Predator control operations for 2019/2020 are listed below. Operations use aerial 1080 unless noted as ‘ground control’, which is mostly trapping.

Detailed maps of sites are available on the pesticide summaries interactive map. This contains information about all DOC pesticide operations, ground and aerial.

Operations 2019/2020
Site
 District Estimated hectares Status

Mahoenui weta (ground control)

King Country

183

Confirmed

Otawa (ground control)

Western BOP

351

Confirmed

Whirinaki

Eastern BOP

36,664

Completed 16 December 2019

Taranaki Mounga Project

Taranaki

34,148

Completed 27 June 2019

Abel Tasman

Motueka

9,639

Completed 18 June 2019

Kahurangi – Cobb

Golden Bay

65,159

Completed 26 June 2019

Kahurangi – Heaphy Lowland Gunner

Golden Bay

37,299

Completed 2 November 2019

Kahurangi – Oparara

Golden Bay

39,324

Completed 22 November 2019

Kahurangi – Whangapeka

Golden Bay

39,735

Completed 25 February 2020

Maud Island mouse eradication

Marlborough Sounds

313

Completed 22 July 2019

Mokihinui - New Creek

Buller

70,000

Confirmed

Te Maruia

Greymouth

46,209

Completed 3 November 2019

Punakaiki

Buller

35,099

Confirmed

Roaring Meg

Greymouth

12,823

Confirmed

Arthur’s Pass

North Canterbury

99,500

Completed 10 December 2019

Hurunui South Branch

North Canterbury

5,000

Completed 18 September 2019

Arthur's Pass – Hawdon Poulter

North Canterbury

23,700

Completed 2 November 2019

Orange-fronted parakeet (ground control)

North Canterbury

5,671

Confirmed

Okarito North South

South Westland

18,375

Confirmed

Abbey Rocks

South Westland

33,119

Completed 10 September 2019

Landsborough

South Westland

46,758

Completed 9 December 2019

Haast Kiwi (ground control)

South Westland

7,570

Confirmed

Arawhata-Waipara & Hindley

South Westland

48,951

Completed 8 July 2019

Makarora-Wilkin

Central Otago

27,546

Completed 16 October 2019

Dart/Caples

Wakatipu

19,437

Completed 20 September 2019

Hollyford

Fiordland

24,585

Completed 2 November 2019

Arthur/Cleddau

Fiordland

17,828

Completed 15 October 2019

Clinton/Eglinton

Fiordland

26,834

Completed 4 September 2019

Murchison Mountains (ground control)

Fiordland

52,985

Confirmed

Kepler

Fiordland

24,264

Completed 19 September 2019

Wet Jacket Pennisula

Fiordland

40,000

Confirmed

Blue Mountains Mohua

Southland/Murihiku

6681

Completed 12 December 2019

Catlins

Southland/Murihiku

20,595

Completed 14 October 2019

Stewart Island Dotterel (ground control)

Rakiura/Stewart Island

5,496

Confirmed

Northern Ruahine

Manawatu

31,792

Completed 22 November 2019

Matukituki

Central Otago

18,629

Completed 11 February 2020

Waitutu

Fiordland

64,815

Completed 11 March 2020

Cancelled operations
Site District Estimated hectares Status

Mapara (ground control)

King Country

1,429 

Cancelled