Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao
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    • Join a group
    • Remove predators
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  • Biodiversity
    • Birds
    • Bats
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    • Invertebrates
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    • Maps of trapping activity in our area
    • How to trap
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  3. Pest monitoring

Pest monitoring

You’re catching a lot of rats. Is this a good thing or not? Maybe you are an expert rat catcher with some innate sense of where rats will be and how to attract them into a trap. Or perhaps there are just heaps of rats around.

Not being that keen on guessing games, we’d rather know. We encourage everyone to record their catches but we also want to know what is still out there. Killing 100 rats is not a huge benefit if there are still 10,000 out there.

Chew Cards If you want to see what you’ve got first, put out some chew cards. Not only do you see what’s there, you can also get an idea of which parts of your property are more likely to be an effective place to put your trap.

Wax tags If you think you’ve got possums, try wax tags pegged to a tree.

Tracking tunnels For more extensive scientific monitoring we use tracking tunnels. Urban Ark has a couple of sets of tracking tunnels which we loan out to our community groups. If you want to borrow a set, just let us know.

In this section

  • Resources
    • Maps of trapping activity in our area
    • How to trap
      • Trapping rats
        • Advanced rat trapping tips
        • Avoiding catching birds
      • Trapping possums
      • Trapping stoats
      • ANFA pulsing
      • Recording your trapping activity
    • The Workshop
      • Making trap tunnels
      • Rat-proof your compost
      • Build a wētā hotel
      • Nest boxes for ruru
    • Tool library
    • Promotional resources
    • Pest monitoring
      • Chew cards
      • Wax tags
      • Tracking tunnels
    • Being a good citizen
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Businesses
    • Health & Safety
    • Policies
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© Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao 2025

Photo credits: Bartek Wyptch (grey warbler)

Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao logo: Glenn Jones

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  • Get involved
    • Join a group
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      • Friends of Maungawhau
      • Ngā Ringa o Te Auaunga Friends of Oakley Creek
      • Jaggers Bush Restoration Group
      • Kingsland Eco-neighbourhood
      • Weona Lemington Coastal Forest Restoration Group
      • Lower Waitītko groups
      • Maungawhau Ecological Halo
      • Oakley Loop Group
      • Pest Free Gladstone
      • Pest Free Balmoral
      • Pest Free Mt Eden
      • Pest Free Ōwairaka
      • Pest Free Pt Chevalier
      • Pest Free Sandringham
      • Pest Free Waterview
      • Predator Free Grey Lynn
      • Predator Free Herne Bay-Ponsonby
      • Predator Free Morningside / Western Springs
      • Manu Tīoriori I Te Uru / Western Songbird Project
      • Predator Free Westmere / Te Rehu Konihi Kore
      • STEPS
      • Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao
      • Wellpark Streamers
      • Conservation Volunteeers NZ
      • Forest & Bird Balmoral Heights
      • Chamberlain Conservation Group
      • Bluegreens Meola Creek Restoration Project
      • Te Wai Ōrea
      • Tītīkōpuke Habitat Initiative
    • Remove predators
      • Rats
      • Possums
      • Stoats
      • Hedgehogs
      • Wasps
    • Remove weeds
    • Plant natives
    • Make your garden native-friendly
    • Education
      • Te Wai Ōrea Education Programme
      • Schools Engagement Programme
    • Become a trustee
    • Other ways you can help
  • Biodiversity
    • Birds
      • Kākā
      • Kākāriki
      • Kererū
      • Korimako / Bellbird
      • Riroriro / Grey Warbler
      • Tōrea / South Island Pied Oystercatcher
      • Ruru / Morepork
      • Tūī
      • White-faced heron
      • Rogues gallery
    • Bats
    • Skinks and geckos
    • Butterflies and moths
    • Invertebrates
    • Taiao / Landscapes
      • Maunga / volcanoes
      • Awa / streams
        • Te Auaunga / Oakley Creek
      • Ngāhere / forests
        • Lava Rock Forests
  • Resources
    • Maps of trapping activity in our area
    • How to trap
      • Trapping rats
        • Advanced rat trapping tips
        • Avoiding catching birds
      • Trapping possums
      • Trapping stoats
      • ANFA pulsing
      • Recording your trapping activity
    • The Workshop
      • Making trap tunnels
      • Rat-proof your compost
      • Build a wētā hotel
      • Nest boxes for ruru
    • Tool library
    • Promotional resources
    • Pest monitoring
      • Chew cards
      • Wax tags
      • Tracking tunnels
    • Being a good citizen
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Businesses
    • Health & Safety
    • Policies
  • News
  • Events
  • About us
    • Our vision
    • Our plan
    • Our partners and supporters
  • Contact
  • Support us