Our Vision
The restoration of a predator free and regenerating ecosystem on Tekimoka (Mt Te Kinga) and beyond, where nature and community win.

Key elements of Our Vision

  • Ecosystem Health: Focusing on restoring ecosystem balance by reducing or eradicating predators and ungulates and improving biodiversity, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation and water quality.

  • Predator-Free Initiative: Emphasising the elimination of invasive predators (such as rats, stoats, and possums) to protect vulnerable native species like birds, invertebrates, and plants.

  • Community Engagement: Involving local communities, mana whenua, and stakeholders in conservation, using traditional knowledge alongside modern science to ensure long-term success.

  • Sustainable Practices: Promoting sustainable land use and agriculture that supports ecosystem health, biodiversity, and encourages eco-friendly economic growth (e.g., ecotourism, sustainable forestry).

Objectives

  • To preserve conservation gains, keeping possum numbers at zero, and mustelids, rats, feral cats, and goats reduced or eliminated.

  • Engage and collaborate with community, mana whenua, and project partners.

  • Secure sustainable funding to ensure the long-term continuity of the project

  • Promote ecosystem restoration on Tekimoka (Mt Te KInga) and beyond.

  • Support regional conservation efforts.

Green map marker icon next to the text 'Mt Te Kinga' in green.
Map showing Lake Brunner on New Zealand's South Island, with a marker indicating its location.

11,300ha

Under protection

495

Artificially Intelligent traps and cameras

1,045

Manual Traps

427

Biodiversity Monitoring sites

A man wearing a headset and orange vest holding a small dog inside a helicopter with a mountain and blue sky visible through the window.
View of a mountain landscape with green hills in the foreground, a large mountain in the middle, and a flat valley with fields and roads in the background under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
Electric bike parked on gravel road with mountains in the background, blue sky, and a small building with stop and crossing signs nearby.
Two people working outdoors in rainy weather, installing a solar panel on a wooden post in a forested area, one person wearing an orange safety vest and the other dressed in black rain gear with a cap.
Group of children on a nature walk in a dense forest, some wearing hats and backpacks, with one holding a GPS device and another with a radio, standing in front of lush greenery and moss-covered trees.
A kiwi bird on the ground in a natural, wooded area at night. The animal is near sticks, leaves, and plants, with some branches and foliage visible. The image is in black and white and taken with a trail camera.

An introduction to the Te Kinga Predator Free Project

Map of the Te Kinga Predator Free Project trap network

Our Project

Predator Free Te Kinga is an ambitious landscape-scale project led by the Ara o Te Kīnga Charitable Trust, aiming to eradicate possums and significantly reduce rats, stoats, feral cats, and goats across approximately 4,000 hectares of Tekimoka (Mt Te Kinga) in the Kōtukuwhakaoka (Lake Brunner) catchment, on Tai Poutini (West Coast) of New Zealand’s South Island.

The origins of the project trace back to 2020, when a group of local farmers recognised the mountain as a natural ‘island’ and envisioned its potential for full predator eradication.

Read more
  • A kiwi bird standing on the ground in a natural setting.

    Key Species we protect at Te Kinga

    A single female roroa (great spotted kiwi) has been consistently detected on Tekimoka (Mt Te Kinga). Kākā, absent for decades, have recently been observed; small flocks of tītīpounamu (rifleman) now appear on the mountain; and kārearea (New Zealand falcon) and matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern) have been confirmed.

  • Tree-mounted trap with a mesh cage and a camera, in a leafy outdoor setting.

    Trap Technology

    A combination of traditional traps and cutting-edge technologies is used throughout the project. DOC150 tunnel traps form the backbone of stoat control, while AT520AI automatic traps have proven highly effective for both rat and possum management.

  • Ara o Te Kīnga trust supports collaboration of predator free groups on the West Coast.

    Te Tai Poutini Coordination

    Ara o Te Kīnga trust supports collaboration of predator free groups on the West Coast.  A committee of active groups meets regularly to discuss options for a collective approach to physical works, knowledge swaps, funding and more.

With thanks to our generous funders and partnerships

West Coast Regional Council logo
Department of Conservation logo
OSPRI logo