Rakitū Island in the Hauraki Gulf has now been declared predator free after the eradication of rats.
A check undertaken with predator-seeking dogs has confirmed that rats have been removed from the 300 hectare island, off the coast of Great Barrier Island.
Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage, is proud of this major milestone, as Rakitū becomes the last Department of Conservation (DOC) administered island in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park to be predator free.
“Rakitū represents another step towards a Predator Free Aotearoa New Zealand,” Sage said.
There are now more than 40 pest-free islands in the region, which provide safe havens for endangered native wildlife including takahē, kakapo, kōkako, kiwi, geckos, skinks, bats, wētāpunga and tuatara.
