Future Protection of Ahuahu

You can help

Everyone travelling by boat to Great Mercury Island needs to make sure they are not carrying any stowaways:

• no mice
• no rats
• no Argentine ants
• no rainbow skinks
• no cats.

Tips for a pest-free boat:

• Keep your boat tidy and clean.
• Don't leave rubbish or fish scraps on board.
• Before departure, check your boat for signs of rats and mice. For example chewed wiring or holes in gear or bags, and look for insects (especially ants).
• Maintain pest control on board larger vessels. Use glue boards for insects, and traps or bait stations for rodents.
• All food should be packed in sealed containers. Don't use open shopping bags or cardboard boxes as pests can hide in them.
• Load up in daylight hours. Most pests are active at night and will come aboard then.
• Vessels should stay anchored offshore except for embarking and disembarking passengers.

These steps will help keep the Mercury Islands pest-free and could also save you from pest damage on board your boat.

• The threat of Argentine ants is a video showing how this invasive species can impact wildlife on Ahuahu Great Mercury Island.