Calling backyard trappers

Residents of Queenstown’s Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country can do their bit to help protect the growing native bird population in their midst.

Whakatipu Wildlife Trust’s (WWT) received a grant for 80 Victor rat traps (right) from Predator Free NZ.

On Tuesday, Waitangi Day, WWT executive officer Joanne Conroy’s inviting residents who’d like a free rat trap in their backyard to visit her at the Lake Hayes Estate playground between 10am and noon.

The traps will be enclosed in wooden tunnels to keep pets safe.

Conroy will also be giving out bait and instructions on how to operate the trap.

She says WWT applied for traps for these neighbourhoods due to their proximity to Lake Hayes and the Kawarau River, "and there’s actually quite a lot of birdlife out there now".

Last year WWT gave out free traps to Quail Rise residents, "which was quite successful", Conroy says.