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<DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;"><DIV><DIV><P><SPAN>Stewart Island/Rakiura incorporates the island, islets and all other offshore islands situated off the coast of mainland Southland. Many of the island’s ecosystems are nationally significant and contain threatened species including southern NZ dotterel, long-tailed bat, 10 endemic vertebrate species and 20 endemic plant species. Stewart Island/Rakiura is also the service port for Ulva Island, and Invercargill City Airport is the major service port for Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, both of which are currently pest free. These two islands, as well as other pest free islands identified within the Stewart Island/Rakiura Site-Led area, such as Bench Island and many of the Rakiura Tītī Islands, are home to rare species such as saddleback and kakapo.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN>Its isolation from the mainland, relatively small permanent human population and significant natural features enables a wider range of pest species to be managed compared with other areas of Southland. Also, many of the pests targeted for management are not currently found on the islands but can be prevented from invasion from elsewhere in Southland. Others are at low numbers, or where effective control is possible and reinvasion risk is low, may also be eradicated more easily.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN>The local community, Department of Conservation, Rakiura Tītī Islands Administering Body, and Predator Free Rakiura are already working on pest management projects on the island. </SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV> |