When walking and tramping in Aotearoa, you may come across wooden boxes on the ground or curious contraptions attached to trees. These are signs of hope.

They are traps, tangible symbols of action to restore and protect nature. Some are maintained by DOC, but many more are placed by Predator Free 2050 projects, community groups and volunteers.

They are there to protect plants, trees and animals, which are disappearing at alarming rates, from human-introduced rats, cats, stoats and possums.

These predators inhabit every corner of Aotearoa: possums climb to 2000m altitude, feral cats traverse the Main Divide, stoats and rats spread from beach to snowline. But traps and dedicated people can be found everywhere, too, removing introduced mammals in every kind of habitat, adapting existing tools and inventing new technology.

Here are some of the most scenic locations where traps have been set.

Routeburn Track

The trap shown above is on the Routeburn Track where endemic species such as mohua, rock wren, kea and whio are being given a fighting chance of survival. DOC and Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust traps and aerial operations cover the area.

Greenstone Valley

In the Greenstone Valley, feral cats, stoats and ferrets are controlled by DOC so takahē can be returned to Ngāi Tahu’s Greenstone Station.

Aramoana

A self-resetting trap at Kaikai Beach, just around from Aramoana, is part of the Halo Project’s zero-density possum zone. Blossoming trees, lush canopies and increasing amounts of indigenous wildlife can now be found in the area.

Silverpeaks

Perched on Swampy Summit, this automatic self-resetting trap overlooks the emerald-green valleys of the Silverpeaks near Dunedin. Halo Project members hauled 110 traps through thick flax, dense scrub, tussock and fierce winds. 

Cascade Saddle

This stoat and rat trap, set by the Southern Lakes Sanctuary team, is on Cascade Saddle in Mt Aspiring National Park. At over 1800m, it is part of one of the country’s highest traplines and protects pīwauwau rock wren, kea, giant wētā and lizards.

Taranaki Maunga

Dotted along the Pouākai Crossing in Taranaki you’ll find traps set by the Taranaki Mounga Project to catch rats, stoats and possums. Thanks to their efforts, more kiwi are being reintroduced to the national park each year.

Aoraki Mt Cook National Park

High in the Malte Brun Range, this possum trap features a node that sends an alert when the trap is triggered. Tech like this helps Zero Invasive Predators expand their predator free zone across South Westland.

Northland

Protecting paradise in Opito Bay near Kerikeri. Northland is classic kiwi land but also home to fernbirds, geckos and pōhutukawa – all threatened by introduced predators.

Hauraki Gulf

Waiheke Island is well on its way to becoming free of stoats and rats thanks to Te Korowai o Waiheke, a group that is restoring it as a haven for wildlife. Native bird counts have already shown significant increases since 2020.