Kiore (Small rat) report
Kiore might look cute but that doesn't mean they are innocent. They kill native bird, eat crops, destroy forest and more. You can find out more about kiore and what horrible things they do in the wild by reading this report .
What do kiore eat
Kiore eat all sorts of things like insects, larvae, weta, centipedes, spider, earthworms, ants, beetles, weevils, snails, lizard and cicadas. This is harmless but the main part of the kiore’s diet is birds eggs, forest vegetation and crops from farms.
Description
Kiore are the smallest rat in New Zealand. They born with fur and a light grey stomach. When they get older they lose their grey fur and it changes to match the the rest of the body which is a blend of brown and black. Adult weighs up 60-80g.
Habitat
Kiore live all over New Zealand. They can also been found to live on offshore island. They have been accidentally taken there by people visiting the islands.
Actions
Kiore kill a lot of native birds which is causing them to go endangered some are even on the verge of extinction. Some of the bird that are killed like the kereru help the forest grow after pest like the kiore damage the forest. This causes the forest to slowly die.
Did you know
Kiore arrived in nz 700 years ago and found a liking for their new habitat and quickly settled in. Rats can have over 5,000 babies a year, as unbelievable as it sounds it is true. Rats (Kiore) attract pest like possum stoat weasel ferret and more rats.
So you see rats may look cute but they behave like pest and do a great job of it. Please help stop rats they are are slowly chipping away at the wildlife of nz. You could help by setting mouse traps around your house. Or for more ideas click on the link to go to K.C.C.org.nz (Kiwi conservation club).
This is my diagram of the Kiore |