A community effort to protect native birds is gathering pace in Whangaparapara, turning one resident’s eight rat traps into a network of 275.
In 2023, Sarah Giblin set up a trapline with eight traps, venturing out with her one-year-old son on her back to maintain them.
She wanted to teach her son about kaitiakitanga (protection of the environment).
This led to Sarah inviting the Whangaparapara community to join her in her mission: to help encourage more native birds to the area by reducing pest predators.
The number of traps soon expanded to 60, and today the group – known as Whangaparapara Rat Pack – regularly monitors 275 traps, with some funding support from Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board.
“Whangaparapara Rat Pack has come a long way in three years,” says Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board chair Izzy Fordham.
“We’re pleased to be able to assist them with some financial support towards a fieldworker and administration hours.”
Sarah has a background in conservation work and feels the best use of resources is to keep it simple.
“The Rat Pack is absolutely no frills,” says Sarah.
“There are other people doing [science and research] on the islands, we don't need to do that. We basically just trap rats, that's all we do.”
Earlier in 2026, the Rat Pack did put some effort into something that Sarah considers more of a ‘nice to have’.
The group came together to start regenerating a field of invasive Montbretia weed by replanting the area with native plants.
“My long-term dream for that area is to provide just a little bit more kai for native birds,” says Sarah.
“The bush on Aotea is regenerating scrub, so the more native plant species we can put in to speed up that regeneration process the better.”
Along with positive results during monitoring, which compares the presence of rats in areas with traplines versus areas without, Sarah says there have been other benefits too.
“It's just grown exponentially and I think it's brought people in the community together,” says Sarah.
“Everyone in the group has said they've noticed more birds. And I have also noticed a few more weta footprints on the cars and that kind of stuff too, which is cool.”
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