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Story: Land birds – overview

Trapped stoat

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Trapped stoat

A humane stoat trap sits inside a wooden tunnel which has mesh across its entrance to exclude larger animals or birds. One animal is in the trap – the other was caught earlier. Stoats are very effective killers of birds. They are good climbers and can reach the nests of most species. Along with ferrets, they are responsible for driving a number of New Zealand birds towards extinction.

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How to cite this page

Kerry-Jayne Wilson, Land birds – overview – Extinct, endangered and threatened species, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9913/trapped-stoat (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerry-Jayne Wilson, published 1 March 2009.