Whakatipu Māhia

Mahia Peninsular southern coast (Photo by Joanne Hales)

Whakatipu Māhia – Predator Free Māhia is a collaborative project aimed at enhancing native biodiversity and building iwi and community capability.
The project involves:

• possum eradication
• controlling mustelids and feral cats
• research
• developing employment, capability, and engagement opportunities

Whakatipu Māhia is the first time possum eradication across 14,600 ha of farmland has been attempted, the largest in New Zealand. Using a combination of an intensive bait station network, targeted live capture trapping, and intensive monitoring using motion sensitive cameras and thermal imaging the team aim to have completed eradication across the entire peninsular by the end of 2022.

Iwi, community, and central and local government are involved in the project. Whakatipu Māhia is the first step in the vision towards a possum free Hawke’s Bay. It is intended that learnings in the project can guide a region wide roll out of possum eradication alongside predator control.

Whakatipu Māhia is a sister project to Poutiri Ao ō Tāne and Cape to City and is guided by learnings from both projects.