
About Aparima & Mores Reserve

Our Geographic Position & The Main Threats To Our Local Ecosystem.
Since 2005 we have been undertaking pest management in the Riverton area, mainly in Mores Reserve. From the beginning, pest management in Mores Reserve has focused on rats and possums using vertebrate toxins.
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Mores Reserve is an area of regenerating native bush on the edge of Riverton township. A network of tracks provides access to the reserve and it is popular with locals as visitors. Part of the Aotea route crosses Moores Reserve, linking Colac Bay to Riverton via the coast. Two lookouts provide views over Riverton township and South to Fouveaux Strait to Stewart Island.
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Mores Reserve has populations of some iconic native birds. Many of these species can often be seen throughout the Riverton township.
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While pest management work in Mores Reserve to date has focused on rats and possums, other pest mammals present include red deer, fallow deer, mustelids, mice, hedgehogs, rabbits and cats.
The Main Introduced Predators We Are Targeting And Why.
Rats
Rats have a significant impact on native species as they consume eggs, young birds, larvae, insects, seeds, lizards and flowers. Because they have such a varied diet they also compete directly with native bird species for food.
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Rats are present in the Riverton area and are likely to be both ship rats and Norway rats. Rats are targeted in Mores Reserve with baits. Elsewhere within the Riverton community rats are being targeted with traps.
Possums
Possums can have a significant impact on the native bush. Without effective management in place, possum browsing can lead to habitat loss.
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While possums have been targeted with bait in Mores Reserve since 2005. Elsewhere within the Riverton community we plan to target possums with traps.
Stoats
Stoats are ruthless killers. They are very mobile, very good climbers can kill native birds with impunity. There are instances where stoats have brought about the extinction of native species and put other species under threat of extinction.
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So far we have not targeted stoats in our pest management work. However this is changing with the first stoat traps being installed in Mores Reserve in September 2023. We plan to expand our network of stoat traps to cover all of the Riverton Community over the next couple of years.
The Main Bird Species And Other Species Benefitting From Our Efforts.
Riverton is home to a great number of bird species – native, endemic and introduced. Over the last few years, 76 species of birds have been seen in the Riverton area. Of these 59 are native or endemic.
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Specimens you are most likely to encounter are the New Zealand endemic falcon, New Zealand Wood Pigeon or Kereru, bellbirds in great numbers as well as a thriving population of Tui. Fantail, tomtit, grey warbler, long tail & shining cuckoo, as well as red-crowned Kakariki will often be heard before you can spot them. Riflemen will occasionally cross your path if you venture outside the main track.
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At night, the friendly but haunting call of the endemic Morepork and introduced German Owl will be a stark reminder to rodents that they are not welcome here…
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In late 2022, early 2023, a video appeared on social media, confirming the visit of Kaka, a close cousin of the Kea, the endemic alpine parrot of New Zealand.

The Role of Mores Reserve as A Heaven for Birds Traveling From Fiordland- Relay between Fiordland and Bluff.
Mores Reserve and a number of other areas of native habitat along the Southland coast provide “stepping stones” for native birds on the move between major habitats in the Southland region.
Birds such as kereru move between Rakiura/Stewart Island and areas such as the Hokonui Hills and Fiordland. These stepping stones provide safe habitats along the way.
Targeting Areas Outside Mores Reserve. Getting the community on board with stoat traps.
While we have focused on Mores Reserve, looking ahead we want to expand our work further into the Riverton community and give the residents of Riverton the opportunity to participate.
The first step to this is the introduction of a Backyard Rat Trapping programme. We have now started supplying property owners and occupiers with a pet-proof rat trap they can install in their backyard to target rats. As well as providing a trap, we set participants up with the TrapNZ app so catches can be easily recorded.
Brief Spotlight on Biodiversity.
It is now well documented that biodiversity is essential to our survival as a species.
‘Nature Cannot Let One Species Become Fully Dominant in Its Own Habitat’- David Attenborough.
As biodiversity declines, so does our resilience. Many scientific studies have shown how much we can learn from evolution and natural history, that could help fight the next pandemic.
Life wouldn’t be the same without birds in the sky… most people agree. If that can be a starting point for more support for biodiversity, let’s start with that. We’ll see you out there!