We acknowledge the partnership with landowners the Rakiura Māori Land Trust to allow access to this special place and do this work.

We first deployed 140 A24s here over a decade ago with the Department of Conservation, with the goal of removing rats from the island using a self-resetting, low-maintenance network.

That goal was achieved within 12 months, but due to the island’s proximity to Rakiura, reinvasion was always expected. Native Island is just a short swim away for a rat.

So, we keep the pressure on.

Why? Because Native Island is a spillover habitat for Ulva Island’s birdlife. Holding predator freedom, or keeping rat numbers as low as possible, matters anywhere but is extra important with Native Island as a landing pad for precious species spilling out from the Ulva Island sanctuary.

It’s also one of our most valuable long-term test sites: remote, rugged, and relentlessly challenging. If our gear performs here, it performs anywhere.

The graph below shows success following the original rollout of the A24 network in November 2013. Rats were monitored at 73% before the project began, and they were monitored at 0% 13 months later.

Reference: DOC-2562032 NATIVE ISLAND RAT ERADICATION PROJECT REPORT

Hard Yards, Big Results

This May, Leila, Jacob, and Nick made the trip, joined by the incredible Keri, Shona, and Sandi from SIRCET (Stewart Island/Rakiura Community and Environment Trust), our long-time conservation partners.

Here’s what went down:

• 620 strikes were logged across the Smart Cap network since the last visit in May 2024.

• Three new tracking tunnel lines were established, revealing a mean tracking rate of 17%.

• And yes, we found a fresh rat kill under a freshly serviced, 10-year-old trap.

That 17% tracking rate is higher than we’d like, but not surprising. This service happened after a 12-month break, rather than our usual 6-month cycle. And elsewhere on Rakiura, tracking rates are hitting 50%, so it’s a tough season .

Still Holding Strong—and Still Teaching Us

Around two-thirds of the 140 A24s on Native Island are now over 10 years old, and still doing what they were built to do. They’ve weathered salt air, storms, rugged terrain, and dense bush. Mechanically, they’re still in great shape.

Native Island isn’t just a trapline. It’s a living, breathing test lab, feeding insights back into our design process, everything from app behaviour in remote zones to mechanical resilience and field servicing efficiency.

On this trip, we also began trialling a new lure delivery system across half the network, an alternative to the Automatic Paste Pump, designed to reduce waste and simplify servicing. The results will be assessed in full on our next visit in November. It was a dream to set up, service, and leave nearly zero waste. Tick, tick, tick!

From app data to field fixes, Native Island feeds directly into the continuous improvement cycle that keeps Goodnature traps evolving.

More Than Numbers

Beyond the data and the kills, there’s something about Native Island that hits you. Maybe it’s the sight of fresh birdlife returning. Maybe it’s the way the supplejack nearly defeats you one minute, then the sun hits the canopy just the next.

Or maybe it’s the quiet pride of knowing that the gear we design and build back in Wellington is protecting this little forest, every single day, even when no one’s watching.

As our Conservation Manager Nick put it: “It’s satisfying to know this level of sustained predator control has been delivered with such a light touch — just one day of work, last year. That’s ideal for hard-to-reach places.”

Take a look at the monthly strike graph. The spikes after gas and lure refreshes say it all, this network works best on a 6-month servicing cycle. The next trip is already locked in for November 2025, and we can’t wait to see what else we’ve caught, and learned, by then.

Local Support, Real Hospitality

Huge thanks to Chris and Deanne from Church Hill Lodge in Oban for their incredible hospitality. After days of dense bush, beach landings, and slippery climbs, a warm meal and dry boots go a long way.

Thanks also to Keri, Shona, and Sandi from SIRCET for joining us in the field, and for the huge amount of work they do all year protecting the natural heritage of Rakiura.

And lastly, a sincere thank you to the Rakiura Māori Land Trust (RMLT) and whānau owners for their support and collaboration in protecting Native Island. Meaningful predator control is only possible when access, trust, and local knowledge come together.

What’s Next?

In November, we’ll return to service the network, monitor results from the new lure trial, and keep tracking pressure on the rat population. Our goal is to stay on the six-month rhythm, because consistency counts.
Pest control is never one-and-done. It’s ongoing, evolving, and essential.
What matters most isn’t just the kill count (although that’s still satisfying). It’s the broader impact, what predators are left behind, what native species return, and what birds we hear more of each time we visit.
Here’s to less pests, more birds, and a wilder Aotearoa.