Rabbits are an ongoing issue in our community, and in order to control the number a trial management programme was undertaken in late autumn/early winter 2025 based on the use of a poison, Pindone.  Pindone is a safe, rabbit-specific poison which was deployed in purpose-built bait stations located on owner approved private property and supported by both Taupo District Council and Waikato Regional Council and the Community in general.

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Update 2 July 2025

The Rabbit Bait Station Programme Trial, to reduce the rabbit population with pindone over 120 properties in the lower Kuratau area, finished on Wednesday 2 July after 30 days.

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There is now adequate information and data collected by the volunteer Bait Station Cluster Managers, and OKRA’s Rabbit Sub Committee will now review the processes and determine where to next.  It may involve OKRA members and/or the public in that discussion.

 

Although the trial was due for completion on Monday 7 July, it was decided to complete it a little earlier because of the increase in visitors and property owners bringing their families and dogs for the school holidays.

 

Sparrows have spread pindone beyond the bait stations and sometimes onto the public footpath, something that was unforeseen but worrying nevertheless. If OKRA decides to continue with the rabbit control program the bait stations will be modified to eliminate this problem.

 

There are a number of the public who have not been happy with the trial in its current form, but please remember that a significant reason for undertaking this trial in a restricted area was to reduce rabbit numbers in a controlled manner, as we are aware that an increasing number of property owners have been using pindone with limited or no control.

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Thanks very much to:

• The property owners for giving permission to have a bait station, and supporting the programme

• Waikato Regional Council for supplying the majority of the pindone

• And the Rabbit Sub-Committee and the numerous volunteers involved in the trial – from the making of the stations, setting up, and managing their area while the trial was on. 

This has been a massive programme involving many parts.  

 

Anecdotally the rabbit population appears much reduced in the lower Kuratau area.  

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OKRA Rabbit Sub-committee   okrate@gmail.com

(Please put ‘Rabbit’ in the subject line)

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Update Early June 2025

The Rabbit pindone trial is finally underway and 120 bait stations have already been deployed on lower Omori Road, Riverpark Drive and Kuratau.

1. Signs will be erected on properties where bait stations have been placed and roadside warning signs will also be placed in key locations during and immediately following the control trial.

2. Please where possible keep your dogs on a lead at all times during the trial, to prevent them from eating any dead rabbits. We will be removing dead rabbits where possible.

And note: 

• The pindone itself will not be placed into the bait stations until Tuesday 3 June, the day after King’s birthday weekend and will remain there until 7 July when all pindone will be withdrawn from the bait stations and the trial will be over.

• The bait stations have been grouped into clusters with each cluster having a volunteer /manager who will be responsible for monitoring the bait stations and rebaiting on a regular basis.

• Although 120 properties will be involved in the trial, many more properties have requested bait stations but we could only put them on a waiting list. At the end of the trial and after conducting a review, decisions will need to be made about the next phase.

• Control Trial – the trial methodology was not about elimination right across the village.

• We identified clusters of properties in close proximity, 11 clusters mainly across Kuratau. Each cluster has 10 to 14 bait stations of the 1/2 200l drum type shown at the public meeting (longitudinal-half 40 gallon drum, bright blue).  Each cluster manager will do a count of rabbits seen around dusk before and after the poisoning period. The bait stations will have an initial load of 0.3kg of pindone in trays starting June 3rd. Bait stations will be checked 2x per week for 6 weeks and replenishment amounts noted. Consumption numbers will enable us to estimate mortality rates. 

 

Next Stages

When the trial is finished and pindone removed, we will prepare our findings and think about phase 2 – so we don’t know what phase 2 will look like at this stage. 

Of course there are many rabbits around Piripekepeka, Omori Heights and towards the top of Omori Road as well, but we don’t have the capacity to include those other areas in this trial.

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Thank you to all those supporting the project.

Kevin O’Hara okrate@gmail.com  (please put ‘Rabbit’ in the subject line if contacting Kevin), Rabbit Sub-committee

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