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Story: Introduced animal pests

Taking the bait

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Taking the bait

This Norway rat is emerging from a bait station on Breaksea Island with poison bait in its mouth. The eradication plan on the island involved building a hut and two bivvies, cutting tracks, and making 743 plastic bait tubes. The 1988 operation resulted in the largest rat-free island in Fiordland.

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Department of Conservation

Reference: 10030608

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How to cite this page

Bob Brockie, Introduced animal pests – Rats and mice, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10124/taking-the-bait (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bob Brockie, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 July 2015.