2022/23 ANNUAL PLAN PROGRESS REPORT – Q4 Stronger Councils, Stronger Region

Creating a Hooded Plover Stronghold on Three Hummock Island

• Project delivery complete, with final compliance reports being prepared for submission by the end of July 2023.

• Wildcare volunteer trip in late May delivered to undertake final weed control and marine debris services.

• A further trip to run Felixer maintenance and capture final round of data for this project and now being assessed for final reporting now.

• Reference Group meeting held as a final evaluation meeting.

• Huge amount of data, with camera traps capturing about 110,000 animal events across 60 different species, with feral cats captured 914 times across the life of this project.

• Early analysis of data indicates that there was slight reduction in cat activity in the 12 months post baiting and a more significant reduction since Felixer deployment, particularly in the last 5 months.

• Eight cats previously detected and killed, of what is assumed to be a small established population, by 7 operational Felixer units, with no change in the most recent Felixer data collected in May.

Community support for Maugean Skate Recovery

• Project complete and grant acquitted.

• All monies spent and final project reporting submitted.

• Project summary completed and added to the project webpage.

• Final approvals for interpretive signage and bronze skate sculptures obtained from the West Coast Council. Council working with a stonemason to complete installations by September.