Mini Unit
PEST ANIMALS
Activity 14 - Anagram
Activity 9 - Local knowledge
Unscramble the animal name.
Mathematics Statistics
English
Listening and speaking
Talk to local people (farmers, rangers, hunters, trampers, etc) about
the pest animals listed. Determine who has seen them in the wild.
Try to determine how many are present in your area.
Draw a graph of your results.
in Taranaki
MUOPSS
PSAW
What effect does control of pest animals
have on our environment?
BIABRT
After Kapiti Island was made possum free in 1983, vegetation such
as kohekohe, rata and fuchsia rapidly recovered. By 1988,recorded
bird densities doubled.
Activity 10 - Catch them
Science
Technology
Making sense of the living world
Technological capability
Design an instrument to trap one of the pest animals. Two designs
(one to keep them alive, the other to kill them) would be ideal.
Remember your kill model must operate in a humane way.
Give your traps names and state which animal they are designed
to catch.
Research other trap types: leg-hold, Timms, Fenn, cage and Tunnel.
Rangitoto Island had almost lost all of its pohutukawa forest. Since
1080 was used, it is now a blaze of colour thought the summer
months. There are also ten times more tui and silvereye.
I M PA G E
L U D E S T M I D I LW TO G A
Activity 11 - Possum control
Brush tail possum
Activity 15 - Footprints
English
Transactional writing
Social Studies Place and environment
Science
Making sense of the living world
Find out if there is a Self-Help Possum Control Programme in your
area. If there is, get information regarding the area targeted, methods
used, time frame etc and write a newspaper article about it.
Research the various methods of possum control in New Zealand.
Consider their advantages and disadvantages and prepare a table
to inform the public about them.
This mini-unit highlights the animals that are declared to be pests
It's quite easy to identify animal prints. You can borrow 'Black Trakka'
sheets from the Taranaki Regional Council to identify pest animals in
your area.
in our region, and provides some background information on them.
Rats
Rats have four toes on the front feet and five on
the back. They have humps on the underside of
their feet that leave clear marks.
Teachers should assist students to choose activities suitable to
Make a pictorial diagram of a food chain for one of the pest animals.
For more information on Pest Animals the following websites might
prove useful.
http://www.doc.govt.nz
supplementary resource material for the teacher is included with
The Taranaki Regional Council is required to develop a strategy to
manage harmful animal species that have been declared 'pests'.
The Pest Management Strategy for Taranaki: Animals sets out rules
and tactics to improve the control of these animals in our region.
2
Background
The Taranaki Regional Council have declared 18 animal species to
be pests in the Taranaki region.
Hedgehog
Both feet are similar to the human hand with 5
digits only with a centre pad on both feet. The
central pad is closer to the toes than that of a
rat print.
Pest animals are those animals identified in the Strategy as having
(or capable of having) a serious, adverse effect on agriculture,
animal health, human health, or on native plants or animals. You
are not allowed to sell, hold in place to sell, or liberate into the wild
any of the pest animals identified in the strategy. You may be
required to undertake the control of some of these pest animals on
your property.
The Taranaki Regional Council
Taranaki Regional Council - Pest Animals in Taranaki mini unit
1
as many avenues as possible.
Mice
Mice tracks show as very small dots. Their
prints are very similar in layout to those of rats.
Possum
Possums prints resemble a human hand with a
pad and five fingers.
47 Cloten Road
Stratford
group studies.
each activity to assist the teacher in tracking progress. Some
Mustelids (Weasels, Stoats and Ferrets)
If you draw a line between toes 1 and 4 the foot
pad will be outside this line.
Activity 13 - Further Research
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz
It also suggests some activities to lead students in individual or
this unit but it is suggested that students research details through
Making sense of the living world
Native land snails recovered in Kahurangi National Park following
an aerial 1080 operation in 1997. In a 500m2 plot, snail numbers
increased from 54 to 147, with large numbers of juveniles present.
their level and ability. Curriculum links are listed in italics under
Activity 12 - Food chain
Science
Kokako numbers have continued to increase in the Mapara
Reserve, in the Waikato, with possum control one of the key factors
in the success. In 1989, no kokako chicks were raised. In 1994,
after 1080 control, 52 chicks were raised.
Ph: 06 765 7127
Fax: 06 765 5097
3
Photos: 1) Kapiti Island, a wild life reserve
off the Wellington coast 2) A NZ native
Pohutukawa tree 3) An endangered NZ
bird - the Kokako 4) Native land snail
numbers in the Kahurangi National Park
increased from 54 to 146 following
possum control in 1997.
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The Taranaki Regional Council can assist your study by providing an opportunity for your
Email: [email protected]
www.trc.govt.nz
students to talk to a Pest Management Officer and view a display highlighting pest animal
TARANAKI
REGIONAL
COUNCIL
management. Contact the Taranaki Regional Council Education Officer for details.
TARANAKI
REGIONAL
COUNCIL
Taranaki Regional Council - Pest Animals in Taranaki mini unit
Activities
Activity 1 - Research
in Taranaki
Brown hare
Feral pigs
(Lepus europaeus occidentalis)
Herbivore, larger than rabbit, mainly solitary,
large home range. Damage farm production,
new trees, orchards and gardens
(Sus scrofa)
Omnivore, can form large mobs with large
home range. Damage farm production,
newly planted forestry, animal health
danger, eat native plants and seedlings,
prey on ground nesting birds.
Brushtail possum
(Trichosurus vulpecula)
Omnivore, mainly nocturnal. Damage native
and introduced vegetation, compete with
native birds, lizards and insects for food,
carrier of tb.
English
Reading, Transactional writing
Social Studies Place and environment
Where did you come from?
- What country did each of the animal pests originally come from?
Why were you brought here?
- Why were they introduced to New Zealand?
- When were they introduced?
(Gymnorhina tibicen)
Omnivore, large family groups, territorial,
aggressive during breeding. Harass native
birds, compete for food source, feed on
native lizards and insects, harass children.
European rabbit
Rooks
(Oryctolaques cuniculus)
Herbivore, small to medium size,
grey/brown, live in small groups. Damage
pasture and newly planted trees and crops.
(Corvus frugilegus)
Herbivore, large totally black bird, large
home range, very social bird, form
rookeries. Damage agriculture, horticulture
and crop production, harass native birds.
(Felius catus)
Carnivore, kill independent of hunger,
solitary, large home range. Damage
ecological values, birds, lizards, insects.
Activity 2 - Research
English
Science
Reading, Transactional writing
Making sense of the living world
Mustelids
Activity 3 - Research
English
Reading, Transactional writing
What's in a Name
- Find the English and scientific name for each species
- What does the scientific name mean?
- Does the same format apply to plants, trees, flowers?
- Do other common animals use the same format?
(7 species)
Rusa, white tailed, red, sika, sambar, wapiti, fallow
Herbivore, mainly live in social groups.
Damage vegetation, animal health danger
as carrier of tb, eat native plants and
seedlings.
Copy a map of the Taranaki region
Find out where the pest animal is prevalent.
Mark it on your map.
Activity 7 - Super tracker
Science
Making sense of the living world
Investigate the foot, hoof, paw pattern of each of the pest animals.
Draw up an identification guide of these.
Make a plaster of paris cast of as many as you can.
Activity 8 - Game
The Arts
English
Communicating and interpreting meaning
Expressive writing
Design an environmental board game (snakes and ladders type)
that uses pest animals as rewards and punishments, ie, catch and
destroy weasel (move forward 3 spaces)/dump kitten in wild
(move back five spaces).
Try the game yourself first.
Ferret (Mustela furo)
Stoat (Mustela erminea)
Activity 4 - Fact sheets
Carnivores, large home range, active day
and night, kill independent of hunger.
Damage animal health and farm production,
carrier of tb, prey on native birds, lizards
and insects.
Wordfind
Find the following words
Weasel (Mustela nivalis vulgaris)
Feral deer
Social Studies Place and environment
Mathematics
Geometry, measurement
Magpies
What adverse effect does the animal cause?
Did it cause this effect in its native country?
Why is there a difference in effect?
Feral cats
Activity 6 - Mapping
English
Science
Reading, Transactional writing
Making sense of the living world
Design and write a fact sheet for each pest animal.
Make sure you include:
- common and scientific name
- photo
- food
- any other details.
Possum
Goat
Kiore
Rat
Pig
Rook
Stoat
Deer
Rabbit
Weasel
Wasp
Trees
Ferret
Magpie
Chicks
Eggs
Cat
Dog
Activity 5 - Poster
Feral goat
(Capra Hircus)
Herbivore, widespread in hill country.
Damage to farm production, animal health,
forest blocks, eats native plants and
seedlings.
Taranaki Regional Council - Pest Animals in Taranaki mini unit
Arts
English
Science
Developing ideas in visual art; Communicating
and interpreting ideas
Reading, Transactional writing
Making sense of the living world
Design a poster (A3 maximum) to inform the public about the
danger imposed by an animal pest.
Taranaki Regional Council - Pest Animals in Taranaki mini unit