New traps appear to be winning the war against rats in some of the country's most important native bush.
One of the new traps - and some of its victims. Photo: DOC
The carbon-dioxide-controlled traps reset themselves and can kill up to 24 rats before the gas canister needs replacing.
The Department of Conservation has been trialling the New Zealand-made traps in Napier and Te Urewera since late last year.
The 300ha sections of land that were trapped in each area showed no signs of rat populations. But in the same areas where no traps were set, there are still rat populations - one of which, in one area, is growing.
DoC says the results show the traps could be a potential lifesaver for native species like kiwi.