Extensive Rodent Activations May 2020

The deployment of the current testing of the lure is now taking place in Autumn in New Zealand.  At activation site one the maize that is on the other side of the location (the river is the other) has been cut down.  A result has seen significant increase in the amount of rodent activity around the lure.   In the past five days there have been 108 activations of animals including mice, rats and cats.   

Of note the animals have been seen interacting with the lure, with the lure currently placed on the box on top of the trap to expose it to the weather elements to test the efficiency of the water proofing of the unit.   We will shortly modify the set up by

placing the sound unit inside the box itself and altering the sound to include rats and mice (it is currently using the original sound profile which is possum, chicks and stoat). 

We are seeing extensive mouse activity which is provign to be problematic as mice have been able to remove the bait without triggering the trap itself.   Also of note as shown in the top photograph there is at least one rat in the vicinity of the trap that is too large to enter the trap.   Finally the other issue that needs to be addressed during the deployment of the site is the presence in the general area of domestic animals.   This includes a large dog and two domestic cats.   Both of

these cats have been seen interacting with the lure and in the lures vicinity. 

In previous deployments in other locations feral cats have been seen interacting with the lure.

On the night of Monday 11th May there was considerable interaction with the lure from the two domestic cats, with 40 out of 54 interactions being indentified as domestic cats (the first time in the five day period that they have been seen at the deployment site).   A question that needs to be answered is how the cat activity is having an affect on the amount of rodent activity - and this will probably only be answered once the unit can be

deployed at external locations.   

The New Zealand Government has recently announced a move from Alert Level Three to Alert Level Two for dealing with Coronavirus/Covid-19.   This will allow the opportunity for work and deployment on the sound lure at a variety of locations that are distinct and allow opportunities for further development of the sound profile and testing.   As has been mentioned several times on this blog there are several significant annoucements and media projects and examples related to this project shortly to be announced.