Kia ora Friend, Meri Kirihimete and Merry Summer Season!
As 2025 comes to a close, we want to share some highlights, celebrate your support, and look ahead to our plans for 2026. Thanks to our volunteers, donors, and community, we've had a fantastic year protecting kiwi and our wider environment. |
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AT220 Automatic Traps & 2025 Predator Control |
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Mark and Mike with trained dog Girl installing the NZ-designed AT220 auto trap, with possums caught beneath a single trap.
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This year, we expanded our predator control network with additional AT220 auto traps from NZ Auto Traps, made possible with support from the Waikato Regional Council Natural Heritage Fund. The traps target rats and possums, which frees up our DOC200 traps to focus on stoats, weasels, and ferrets — our main pest targets. Because AT220s automatically reset, they are proving far more effective at reducing rat and possum numbers than manually cleared traps that are typically checked fortnightly.
A special thank-you goes to our contractors, Mark and Gay Boenders — and their dog Girl (who helps carry gear during servicing) — as well as volunteers like Mike (pictured) for making this network such a success. Check out the 2025 catch numbers below. The two tables compare our annual catch totals with and without AT220 auto traps — and you can clearly see why adding more of these traps in our project area is so exciting for our work of protecting the bush! |
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Our new Pekapeka Tou-roa Project |
Pekapeka Tou-roa - New Zealand Long tail Bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) - Image by: Colin O'Donnell - DOC website |
In keeping with our updated TCKC mission — "Working with our community to restore the habitat so kiwi and other native species thrive" — we're excited to share that we are expanding our work beyond kiwi to support the critically endangered pekapeka tou-roa (long-tailed bat). These tiny mammals, with a wingspan of just 10cm, are nocturnal insect-eaters capable of flying up to 50km per night and living up to 28 years. They rely on large, mature trees for roosting and nesting, making the protection of our ngahere critical for their survival and the wellbeing of other native wildlife.
With an initial grant from the Seagull Centre, we've kick-started our pekapeka tou-roa project. Committee member and volunteer Ric Balfour placed three acoustic recorders in Te Mātā Creek last summer, confirming that pekapeka tou-roa are indeed present in our project area. This summer, we have already placed 10 more recorders, and will move them across Te Mātā, Tapu, and Waikawau. The data collected will guide the next steps for protection over the coming years.
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How you can help pekapeka tou-roa thrive: |
Keep cats inside at night. Use collars and microchips on cats to identify your cats to neighbors and trappers.
Protect large trees — they're essential habitat, if you are planning to cut trees, check for bats roosting before. Support Thames Coast Kiwi Care to safeguard forests, kiwi, and pekapeka tou-roa. If you spot Pekapeka Tou-roa, note the location, time, and number, and email your observations to admin@thamescoastkiwicare.org For more information about NZ native Bats see the DOC website: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/bats-pekapeka/long-tailed-bat/ |
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Ric Balfour (assisted by Pippa Jackson not pictured) placing acoustic recorders up in the trees in our TCKC project area. |
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Protecting kiwi means teaching our dogs to avoid them! Even the smallest dog can injure a kiwi without showing aggression. Join us for free Kiwi Aversion Training on 26 January 2026. There is available training for up to 40 dogs from Te Mātā, Tapu, and Waikawau, including visiting dogs during the holiday period. Sign up directly with the trainers here: www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/book
(Other dates are also listed on the site — select 26 January 2026 (Coromandel) at Tapu and follow the registration prompts.)
Give your dog the skills to stay safe and help protect our Kiwi. |
A huge thank-you to our local stores along the coast and in Thames for hosting our donation boxes! Your support helps raise our profile in the community and gives everyone a simple way to contribute whenever they have some spare change. |
Bakehouse Café, Bite Café, BP Thames , Carson's Bookshop , Circle C store, Craddock Daily Bread Market Stall, Daymos Tyres, Garden and Music Shop, Kebab Express, Land of Books, Mitre 10 Thames, Museum Thames, Reads Hardware, Restore Eco Market, Royal Oak Hotel, Stihl Shop , Tapu Camp Store, Tapu Store, Tararu Store, Te Puru Store, Waiomu Beach Café and Zen! |
PS: We have a few spare boxes.. — get in touch if you'd like one on your shop counter to show your support for TCKC. |
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Check out this clever trapping tool - The TrapEaze |
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| 🎄 Perfect Last-Minute Xmas Gift for the Trapper in Your Life!
Support local ingenuity with the TrapEaze, designed by retired engineer and TCKC trapper Kevin Gouge. This tool makes clearing and setting DOC200 (and DOC150) traps quick, safe, and hands-free — ideal for both experienced and new trappers.
Check it out: www.trapeaze.co.nz |
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Are you our new TCKC Treasurer? |
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A big thank you to Bruce Wilson for his years of dedication as our TCKC Treasurer. With his resignation we're now looking for someone to fill this vital role — please get in touch if you think you could help.
Not a Treasurer? No problem — there are plenty of other ways to get involved. From predator trapping and track maintenance to fundraising, social media, grant writing, or cooking at the Wings & Wheels BBQ on 24 Jan 2026, there's a role for everyone to help protect kiwi and our local environment. |
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| Clean mussel buoys can be dropped at 888 Thames Coast Rd. Each buoy helps raise funds for Thames Coast Kiwi Care. |
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Sadly TCKC landowner John Roper passed away on 29 November. Our heartfelt condolences to the Roper family.
John Roper's generosity and long-standing support of TCKC has meant so much to us, he will be greatly missed. |
Wishing you a relaxed and happy summer! |
And once again, thank you for supporting our work — through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word. Every contribution helps our native species thrive. Ngā mihi nui,
The Thames Coast Kiwi Care Team
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Admin/ Trap NZ help: Tes Rae - 027 3337 434 Coordinator/ H&S Lead: Pippa Jackson - 027 747 7000 Committee/ Tech: Fin Buchanan - 027 2405 069 Chair: Moira Coatsworth - 027 577 9246 Possum & Rat Project Leader: Mark Boenders - 027 333 8444 |
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