Visit from Adam - Zero Invasive Predators - Thinking like an Inventor

As part of our Inquiry, we have been thinking like scientists and inventors. Adam came in to talk to us about the work that he has been doing for ZIP (https://zip.org.nz/#intro). We were blown about by the problem solving that he does with his colleagues. 

Sam.G: Adam works for Z.I.P. (Zero Invasive Predators). They try to exterminate rats, stoats, and possums because those kill our native wildlife. they do all kinds of experiments like how high a pest will climb into mountains. Adam is a biologist so he studies what pests think so he can send results to the people who make the traps so the traps will be suited to pests. Z.I.P. needs to have these character strengths: perseverance, creativity, and teamwork.

Luca S: Adam works for Z.I.P.  It stands or Zero Invasive Predators and they are trying to get rid of all the predators in NZ. Their goal is to get NZ predator free by 2050. What they have done is put up walls in the places they can to stop the predators from escaping the area they are trapping. In the places they can make barriers sometimes there are natural barriers like fast-flowing rivers and mountains. They have designed lots of different types of traps and baits to get rid of the predators. The traps they designed are very intuitive because they have designed traps that release food everyday and then the people at Z.I.P can monitor what the predators are doing by satellite so they don’t have to go into the bush everyday and monitor if the predators are eating the bait they are releasing. Instead they get a notification whenever their cameras detect a predator eating their bait. All of us at W.B.S hope that they can achieve their goal of making NZ predator free by 2050, there are definitely going to be more creative and innovative ideas in the future of Z.I.P.

Anneke: Adam from ZIP (zero invasive predators) came in to talk to us about pest control. Adam said that they are trying to make New Zealand pest free and to do that they are going to make each area pest free (one by one.) ZIP is a company that is trying to make NZ pest free but the best materials are expensive so they are using natural fences like mountains and rivers, so the pests don't get into the area that they are trying to make pest free.

Some of the traps that ZIP uses aren't actually traps, those traps (or things) just put a little bit of food out every day so the pests will keep coming back to the same place and if the pests do come everyday they have motion activated cameras. ZIP is always making new ideas for traps to catch their three main predators, possums, stoats, and DA RAT!!!!

Liora: Adam taught us about how he uses all of the gadgets, how they work, how they help them with the predators and how to deal with them. Inventions they made. They made this trap that has something on top and looks like a pyramid. When any type of predator comes it shuts so they get the predator. Before they took this big can and fill it up with toxic stuff and poured it all over the places where predators are, you're probably asking how do they know where they are, they have these cameras scattered around the woods, then they know where to find them.

Ethan Q: Adam came into school, he told us about rat traps and predators.They work down south around the West Coast. He has lots of traps he put mayonnaise stuff on 1 of the the traps. He needs to dial up his perseverance and some grit too. His goal was to clear all predators by 2050. I thought it was quite cool I enjoyed it.

Henry: There are natural barriers like rivers and mountains that keep the predators out. The predators they are focusing on are possums Stoats and rats. They kill animals by dropping poison in helicopters or by traps. ZIP is the name of a predator free company.

Here is our success criteria for thinking like an inventor:

- analyse the factors involved in an opportunity
- develop a detailed CAF (consider all factors)
- develop criteria which guides the design process
- brainstorm 30 ideas
- draw accurate diagrams of the invention
- evaluate the prototype and make improvements to the design

- build a full scale model of my invention

Incredible Trappers!

The trapping team have raised over $500 dollars from the raffle, a great effort! Thanks to all of you who supported this by buying a ticket, or in many cases tickets.  The winner: Christine our lovely librarian.   Yay for her!

But the job doesn’t end there as today’s trapping adventure shows.  A massive rat!

We are committed to continuing the quest to eradicate pests; Rats, Mice, Stoats and even Hedgehogs so that our native flora and fauna can thrive. We have enlisted some kids from Tautoru to continue the efforts when our current year 6 group move on.

Zealandia Card Design

Darren from Zealandia came in this week to introduce us to a new game that the team at Zealandia is developing together with students from lots of schools. He left us each with a card that shows a bird found in New Zealand and tells us some key information about it, like how rare it is and how it flies. He has challenged us to make our own cards about:

 - a bird found in New Zealand,
 - a special place in New Zealand or
 - an event (good or bad) affecting New Zealand's birds.

Pest Trappers

Trapping Pests!

Would you trust these guys?

Do you like peanut butter? Well, if you do make sure you don’t put your nose into this box; you might get it squashed in a trap!

We have been gifted four trapping boxes by the staff at Zealandia so that we can try to eradicate all of the pests harming native habitats.  Did you know that Hedgehogs can eat up to 40 Weta in just one night?  Not only is this greedy but we need those insects for a healthy ecosystem.  

Last year when we did some research around the school and down the bank we discovered that there were very few insects at all; a sure sign of rodents and other pests.  If we are pest free, the future might see naturally regenerating bush and many more birds in our trees, including the insect loving Ruru, living in our nesting box.

With our trapping team on the loose the future looks bright!