Trapping for a greater cause – to save our park

Background on our flora & fauna

New Zealand’s native flora and fauna is something quite special and unique to our piece of paradise. New Zealand’s ecosystem has evolved in isolation for a staggering 85 million years resulting in a large number of native species only to exist here, no where else. 

To put this into perspective, 80% of our vascular plants & a quarter of our bird species are found only in New Zealand.

The arrival of settlers from Polynesia in 1300 AD to the European settlers in the late 1700’s, were accompanied by some exotic species of wildlife that can be seen throughout New Zealand today. Whether they’re eating our own endemic birds or competing for territory, a large proportion of our native birds are being threatened or are endangered through these introduced species. For more information on our endangered native wildlife, have a look here:

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/conservation-status/threatened-birds

Possums, rats, stoats and ferrets are some of the species threatening our endangered birds. These pests not only kill them & their young but also consume a huge amount of our native vegetation, primarily new shoots which often kills trees.

So far, 50 native bird species have now become extinct, and more species are at a high risk of the same fate. This is why Abel Tasman Guides have joined forces with the Marahau Halo Trapping Project to help protect our vulnerable landscape and its inhabitants right here in the Abel Tasman National Park.

How your contribution plays a huge part

When guests return their maps to us after their trip, we donate $5 on our guests behalf towards this meaningful project. The money goes towards the creation & set up of new high-tech traps, targeting pests.

Our guests contributions so far have funded one new trap, the success of which is evident after having killed 17 pests within a couple of months. In regards to an even bigger milestone achieved, the Halo Trapping Project have removed 1089 pests in total since they began in 2020. Their continuedefforts are helping to make a huge difference in creating a predator free oasis right here in the Abel Tasman.

A few words from the Halo Trapping Project

“At Mārahau Halo, we believe every trap set is a step closer to restoring the balance of our native ecosystem. By protecting vulnerable species and nurturing our forests, we’re not just preserving the beauty of the Abel Tasman National Park—we’re ensuring its legacy thrives for generations to come. We are so grateful for the support of businesses like Abel Tasman Guides and our local volunteers, without their support and hard work none of this would be possible.”

We’d like to give a huge thank-you to Chris & Jared at Ocean View Chalets who have made this possible. Both Chris & Jared manage this project and have given us the opportunity to be a part of this. 

For more information on the Halo project and its upcoming events click here: https://www.tet.org.nz/projects/marahau-halo-trapping/