Quiet consistency in the gully: meet Ollie

Ollie with some donated Pic’s Peanut Butter to use as lure on the Mangaharekeke gully trapline.

Since 2023, Ollie has quietly checked one of our local Mangaharekeke gully traplines every week or two.

In the last ten months, he caught just five possums and about ten rats. Ollie reckons that's not much.

But that's actually the point.

Regular trap checks keep predator numbers low, rather than allowing them to build up again. When a trapline has been well looked after for a while, lower catch numbers are often a sign that it's doing exactly what it's should.

Predator control isn't just about the excitement of catching pests. It's about showing up, month after month, keeping traps working and giving our native wildlife the best chance to thrive.

We caught up when I popped over to Ollie’s place with some donated Pic’s Peanut Butter to use as lure on his trapline—another part of the practical support that keeps community trapping going.

Ollie's quiet consistency has made a real difference to this gully, and we're incredibly grateful for his ongoing commitment.

Thanks, Ollie – you're a star. 💚