Our endangered native birds could be under threat, with a plague of 30 million rats expected to dine on a massive feast of beech seeds.
The Department of Conservation has carried out field trials in the Lewis Pass and estimates more than 1 million tonnes of seed will drop this autumn – the largest amount in 20 years.
The red beech tree is the driver of what is called a "mast" – a natural phenomenon where so much seed falls it drives up predator numbers in their millions.
"The rat numbers are going to explode," says DOC senior ranger Brad Edwards. "They are going to be so dense you will be able to see them around here during daylight. It will be like the Pied Piper of Hamilton through here."
At risk are threatened species like the yellow head and orange-fronted parakeet.
The beech mast happens in April, which sees hundreds of seeds falling to the ground, increasing rat numbers. The rats are then eaten by stoats and, when they get hungry, they target native chicks and birds.
DOC says the only option is to bombard forests with 1080 poison to wipe out the rodents.
"We do kill a couple of birds here and there," says Mr Edwards. "But basically what we are doing is saving these birds from rampant build-up in rat and stoat numbers."
However, DOC does expect native bird populations to bounce back.
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source: newshub archive
