Get Involved
Background photo by Lana Young
Volunteer on Ahuahu- Great Mercury Island
Volunteers are an integral part of our conservation efforts on Ahuahu- Great Mercury Island.
We have multiple projects planned for 2024/2025 where you could help, including the Ahuahu Argentine ant eradication and pest-plant control projects.
Read further and fill in a form below if you would like to get involved.
Ahuahu Argentine ant eradication project
Argentine ants were first identified on the island in 2013, and by 2018 we believe they covered an area of up to 190 hectares. With our efforts over the past seven years, we have now approximately halved that area. Argentine ants are one of the world’s most invasive species. They form super-colonies and out compete or predate many other species. The presence, and possible expansion of Argentine ants across Ahuahu could mean some of the ecological benefits hoped for after the rat and cat eradication may not occur.
Volunteers have been instrumental to our progress. Volunteers aid the eradication by working in groups to place sugar monitoring pottles to detect the ants. They also apply paste bait to control detected colonies. Volunteers must be fit and capable of walking up and down hills in warm conditions. They must also be able to get along with people well and be willing to follow instructions. Up to 16 people may be living in the accommodation quarters at a time.
Trips will run from Friday - Friday from late November 2025 to early February 2026.
If you are interested in volunteering this summer, fill in the form below to express your interest.
Other Projects
There is always work to do on the island, which means there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer year-round!
If you are interested in volunteering in Ahuahu at an alternative time, fill in the General Expressions of Interest form. This will put you on the list for any future volunteering opportunities.