In a report for the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust’s annual meeting in Queenstown on Thursday, executive officer Leslie Van Gelder said more than 8500 rats, possums and mustelids had been caught.
That was up from about 2500 last year and fewer than 2000 the year before.
A dozen more groups or projects had come under its wing, bringing the total to 51, Dr Van Gelder said.
The leap in predators caught came down to more volunteers maintaining more traps — about 2200 in total — and a beech mast that had led to a rat explosion.
Public awareness of community trapping efforts continued to grow, and an upside of early Covid-19 restrictions was people spending more time exploring where they lived.
"I think people’s relationship with nature is really what got them through the lockdown.
"People really value where they live."
That had motivated more people to get involved with their local trapping group, and she expected that trend to continue, she said.
The trust, formed three years ago, is an umbrella organisation that supports community predator trapping groups or projects in an area encompassing Paradise, Kingston and Arrowtown.
Dr Van Gelder said people were noticing more birds in their neighbourhoods within a year of trapping starting.
That birdlife was especially noticeable in areas such as Arrowtown, Kelvin Heights, Arthurs Point and Bobs Cove, where the first community trapping started several years ago.
"They’re coming back really fast; people are imagining they’re seeing more birds, but they really are."
