Research Enclosure Monitoring Zealandia

Zealandia Te Mara a Tane is surrounded by a predator-proof fence, which keeps out all introduced pest predators, except for mice.  The ecosystem impacts of mice in areas of high conservation value is still not fully understood in the New Zealand context. 

The research area was set up to research the impact that mice have on tuatara condition and survival. In 2005, 60 tuatara were released into the research area, while 10 tuatara were released in the main sanctuary. In 2016, spotted skink were also released into the sanctuary, 39 in the research area and 56 in the wider sanctuary, in the presence of mice. Annual monitoring of the spotted skink population aims to determine if survival and breeding success of spotted skinks is impacted in the presence of mice. 

Because Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne has diverse lizard and invertebrate populations, areas of higher mouse density along with annual mouse-control operations using brodifacoum and the Research Area, we have a perfect environment for further research in this area.

At establishment it was decided that the research area would be managed to control mice to zero density without the use of toxins. Since then, research has shown the persistence of brodifacoum in soils, where it is used for pest control operations.   

It is therefore paramount that until the entire sanctuary is declared mouse-free, the Research Area is maintained to zero density of mice, without the use of toxins.