Most promisingly, there was little consumption of baits by non-target species. “However, the two cats readily consumed both chicken and rabbit baits at a wide range of age/time since placed.” The number of cats involved in the trial was small, and two individuals dominated the results.
The researchers write, “The high rate of bait takes indicates that the baiting density used during this trial might result in a good knock-down of stoat numbers, although trials with toxic baits are needed to confirm this. The trials provide confidence that stoats and cats can find baits that are hand-laid at a relatively low density and eat them up. Not the wurst optionįar from it – this trial showed exciting potential for growing the predator free toolkit. No native species were observed interacting with the bait during the trial, but hedgehogs and a ferret did eat several. Most cat detections were actually the same two individuals who eagerly consumed the sausage with barely a chew. Trail cameras were placed near each bait to capture any activity.Ī toxic rat taken by a stoat. The bait density was reasonably low, with one bait per 25 hectares.
To target stoats and cats, 50 non-toxic sausages made of rabbit or chicken were carefully placed in the Fiordland National Park to target stoats and in the Mackenzie Basin for cats. The trio focused their recent trials on non-toxic versions of sausage bait, and the results published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology show promise. Ready-made baits that could be hand-laid or aerially placed and that are irresistible to targets would enhance the predator free toolkit.Įnter three Department of Conservation researchers: Jenny Rickett, Penny Wallace and Elaine Murphy. Current baits, such as fishmeal bait or hand-made minced meat baits, have either uncertain effectiveness or are labour-intensive to make. The existing methods include kill trapping and secondary poisoning from aerial 1080 operations (i.e. We know feral cats and stoats threaten NZ’s native wildlife, but effective control techniques are limited. In a recent trial, researchers investigated whether these introduced predators would find and eat sausage bait, and also if native species would also be attracted to it, too.