The Department of Conservation (DOC) says its predator control programme is achieving its best results ever due in part to improved timing for operations.

The programme protects native wildlife and forests on public conservation land from the devastating impacts of rats, stoats and possums, and plays a key part in stopping threatened species from going extinct.

DOC delivered 24 aerial predator control operations across 735,000 ha in the past year. The Department says monitoring has revealed exceptionally good results, with rats consistently reduced to undetectable or very low levels and stoats and possums effectively controlled. Mice were also routinely reduced to low levels, giving relief to native insects and lizards.