Boffa Miskell Ltd | Pest Animal Management Plan | Wharekirauponga Compensation Package | 30 May 2022 15 4.0 Additional actions and benefits of proposed animal pest management 4.1 Habitat enhancement Regardless of the reduction of predation impacts on Archey’s frogs, the habitat enhancement benefits from undertaking comprehensive predator control are well documented and will also aid frog recovery. Habitat quality and availability is one of the key components and requirements for a successful frog translocation (Cisternas et al., 2021), therefore improving habitat quality in situ is highly likely to also benefit resident populations by allowing for the natural development of a complex understory. Significant pig damage (including rooting) has been observed in the proposed pest control area during frog surveys, so the inclusion of control targets for ungulates, in particular for pigs, will substantially improve habitat for frogs in addition to reducing their known direct predation impacts. 4.2 Research The Wharekirauponga pest management area provides an ideal site which could be used to determine predator impact on frog populations using a before and after approach (as noted as a research need by Pledger 2011). Undertaking this research would greatly assist with the national management strategies for Archey’s frogs in the future. For instance, one of the main priority research areas identified in the Native frog (Leiopelma spp.) recovery plan (Bishop et al., 2013) are identifying their key agents of threat and decline and their impacts to be better understood. Additionally, some of the research areas suggested below can assist in the recovery plan research priority of surveys and monitoring of frog populations. Research areas could include: • Providing a unique site where comprehensive monitoring of frogs has been undertaken prior to the commencement of a comprehensive predator control regime; • Testing the impacts of different predator control regimes and tools; • Investigating the impact of pigs on frog recovery (as predators, scavengers, and a cause of habitat degradation) • Developing AI for individual ID of frogs in addition to new detection and monitoring tools using innovative technology; • Assessing the benefits of real-time pest detection tools to enable rapid and adaptive animal pest management to keep pests within certain thresholds; and • Determining the optimal pest control targets and thresholds for native frog recovery.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3