KGT Predator Free Kids 2023

Written By Kim Manunui

This year, rather than having a separate ‘Predator Free Kids’ team, we decided to offer predator free sessions as an option for our Student Leadership Teams.

Our Nature Explorers (7-8 year olds) had a session at the Waipahihi Botanical Reserve. They learned about introduced predators and why they are so dangerous to our native New Zealand animals. They were able to play some games to show how different predators hunt, as well as playing Ecological Bullrush. They also made their own tracking tunnels to take home and find out what pests they have in their own back yard. It was a great session!

Our other teams, Kaitiaki Crew and Conservation Heroes, lived up to their names as they learned about introduced predators in New Zealand from Robyn, coordinator of Predator Free Taupo. She taught them the basics about how to start a trapline. The first thing to do was some monitoring in the area with tracking tunnels. They learnt that once you know what is there and where it is, then you can be more successful when trapping by putting out the correct traps and putting them in the correct places. They set tracking tunnels through our planting site at Spa Park.

The next week, when they brought in their tracking tunnels and checked out the prints, they found that there had been a party in there! Lots of rats and mice footprints, along with some hedgehog prints and bug prints could be identified.

The students built trap boxes and set a trapline through our planting site. Now they will take turns to check this line for the rest of the year. They will record their data using the TrapNZ app.

They are the great leaders of today for a better tomorrow.

If you want to know more about trapping head to https://www.kidsgreeningtaupo.org.nz/activit.../get-trapping








Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth.  And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

https://www.korio.co.nz
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