Concerns over rogue baiting and possum trapping in an Invercargill native forest has prompted a warning from the City Council.

Just prior to lockdown the Invercargill City Council Parks team discovered evidence of unapproved pre-baiting of possums in Thomsons Bush, which is a Council-managed native forest alongside the Waihōpai River in north Invercargill.

Pre-baiting, or pre-feeding, is when someone provides food for possums to draw them to an area with the intention of trapping them.

Invercargill City Council Parks Performance Manager Kate Gough said baiting or trapping possums in Thomsons Bush was only allowed to go ahead when it had been approved by Council.

Advertisement: Nind Electrical

“Carrying out pest control without prior written approval from the Council is not behaviour we condone or authorise,” she said.

Although possums are a pest, Council’s pest control methods are humane.

“When we have rogue trappers we have no way of monitoring the methods that they intend to use to make sure they are abiding by the Animal Welfare Act.

“The method of trapping they tend to use is leg hold capture traps. The leg hold traps they use are not something we would allow so close to a track network as there is risk a dog or cat would get their leg caught in them.”

Advertisement: Invercargill Flooring Xtra

Under the Reserves Act 1977 it is also an offence to remove anything from a reserve without the permission of the land manager.

Council is part of the Predator Free Southland programme, which works towards controlling predators and protecting our region’s biodiversity, and is working on a cornerstone project that will start at Bluff and work its way towards the city, Mrs Gough said.

“While that is happening we are building our capacity to do more and more pest control within the city itself.”

It was still safe to visit Thomsons Bush, she said, but if members of the public spotted traps on the side of walking tracks they should contact Council immediately.