A day in the life of Rory: Te Korowai o Waiheke’s Field Technician

Imagine if …Waiheke was predator free… There are many benefits to so many aspects of our island's flora and fauna - that’s why we will do a little series to break down some of the incredible changes Waiheke could see after becoming predator free.

Many years ago, when I was much smaller and more spritely, I found myself in the thick of a kānuka tree on the manicured grounds of the Auckland Botanic Gardens. I pushed back through to the green lawns, wiping cobwebs out of my eyes and mouth as I went. As soon as I think I am free of creepy crawlies, two long, hooked feet wrap themselves around the brim of my cap.

Spreading over more than one million hectares, the sparkling waters of the Hauraki Gulf are home to many special islands - from the iconic dome of Rangitoto to the island sanctuary of Tiritiri Matangi - each island has its own fascinating history and distinctive natural beauty.

Many of Waiheke’s neighbours are already predator-free and looking at how the wildlife on these islands has prospered - gives us a good idea of what would happen on Waiheke.

A day in the life of Tilde Sorensen: Te Korowai o Waiheke’s Stoat Field Team Technician.

The heat of another clear day beats down on me. I am surrounded by harakeke, kōwhai, pōhutukawa and pūriri which shake with the movement of feasting birds. It’s a nectar feeder’s dream.

A day in the life of Charlie Thomas: Te Korowai o Waiheke’s Monitoring Technician.

The depths of a tall forest gully can feel like you’re in a remote and untouched part of the world, especially when you can no longer get a signal on your GPS. Thick twists of supplejack now block my path forward, so I relent to find another way around the thicket. A noiseless shadow swoops past me, few creatures move with such ease and invisibility, so I am enamoured to see the golden eyes of a ruru peering down from the underside of a wheki ponga.

A day in the life of Frank Lepera: Te Korowai o Waiheke’s Stoat Operations Manager.

The tide drags slowly out of the bay. Oyster-covered rocks rise out of the sea above a rippling city of tide pools, each with life squirming to resettle in the quickly disappearing water.

A day in the life of Rosemary Thorne: Training/Recruitment Coordinator for Te Korowai o Waiheke.

Watch out stoats — the summer trapping team has expanded!