Feature Southland Experience
Taking out the stoats
Passengers on the Wairaurahiri Jet boats don’t just get a thrilling ride down one of New Zealand’s most beautiful rivers, they also get a chance to see at first hand how a few individuals can make a real contribution to improving our environment.
For the last two years, Johan Groters and Joyce Kolk have been encouraging their clients to sponsor stoat traps which they have placed along the eastern bank of the Wairaurahiri River.
So far their 76 traps have caught 188 stoats and 45 rats, and by taking out these predators they are encouraging the return of native birds to the riverside. The manager of Waitutu Lodge is already reporting a noticeable increase in birdsong, which he attributes to the sponsored traps.
Johan and Joyce are also spreading the word about the damage introduced pests have done to New Zealand’s native birds, and hope that every household in rural Western Southland will one day have a stoat trap at their letterbox.
DOC also supports their efforts and ranger Colin Bishop has commended the good relationships that Johan and Joyce have established with iwi, the HumpRidge Trust, the Landcare Trust, which all support their work.
Wairaurahiri Jet was highly commended in the Commercial section of the Southland Environment Awards.
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