Aotea Trap Library

The Aotea Trap Library provides FREE rat traps to the community in exchange for their rat catch data. The aim is to have easily accessible, free rat traps for as many households and community projects as possible and to cover as much of the island as we can. The trap library was first established in November 2017 by the Great Barrier Island Environmental Trust with funding from Predator Free NZ 2050. Auckland council has continued to support the Trap Library with a steady supply of rat traps and protective wooden boxes. There are four Trap Libraries (Mulberry Grove, Glenfern, Motairehe and Medlands), run by volunteers, supported by a coordinator who has been funded for a second year by World Wildlife Fund NZ.

The Aotea Trap Library has so far distributed 2562 traps & 2432 protective boxes (September 2021), spread between backyard trappers, community groups, larger landowners and sanctuaries. All recipients have to do in return, is keep a record of their catches. You can record your data directly online, by registering at Trap NZ (see Toolbox for instructions). It is also possible to participate without using trapNZ, just keep a tally of rats caught and provide it to the trap library coordinator (details below).