Deployment Site Two - Pest Activation

Please note: This post is intended as a discussion point about the sound lure project and what is happening at the site.  In New Zealand Hedgehogs are considered an introduced pest.

There have been several activations at this site for the past few days.   When the trap was cleared two days ago a large Hedgehog had been trapped in the confines of the trap.   The set up was intended to prevent this, as it is a tunnel trap to target small mustleids and rats, however the hedgehog in this instance had managed to enter the tunnel aspect of the trap and by reaching forward with its head activate the trap.  This trap has a sound lure operating in the tunnel and a secondary bait of peanut butter which is now two weeks old.    There is clearly in the photograph from the tracking camera a second hedgehog shown in the top left of the photograph.

The trap was subsequently cleared and reset.   The following night a similar activation of the trap from another large Hedgehog which was also disposed of. 

In both instances the trap has been set well back from the tunnel entrance but the inclusion of the sound lure in the back of the trap has moved the trap forward, allowing the Hedgehog access to it from the front.     There are currently no specific Hedgehog traps in New Zealand.   The trap has been reset again, with the same bait set up, locations and details as before.