Deployment to New Plymouth Airport

 As stated on this blog previously it has always been our intention to check and re-check this technology at a number of locations to ensure that the science behind it is relevant and valid and we are looking to use the technology in a variety of locations.

Our first significant deployment has now taken place at New Plymouth Airport where four of our full units have been deployed.   The Airport has an existing pest management program targetting rats and mustlelids.   There are additional animals in the area that are controlled by other means (brush tailed possums).

This location provides us with a variety of locations, which are essentially all in full sun locations.  A number of the locations have existing trapping units present (such as being shown in the top photograph, the existing trap is present with pink spray paint to identify it and one of the sound lures is immediately to its left.

The Airport has extensive grounds around the immediate area of the runway which includes a variety of land, grass and scrub.   There are considerable drainage ditches in the area in addition to this the Airport is located near to

coastal land.There are a variety of animals known to operate in the area and have already been caught as a result of the trapping process at this location.   It is intended to record these results to see if the sound lures can increase the catch.

Of note is the season that the lures are being deployed in, it is in Winter here in New Zealand and there is less expected mustlelid activity at present with renewed activity expected in the Spring.

We are intending to have these units deployed at this location, checked regularly thanks to staff at the Airport and will be tracking the results of this deployment.  All the units have been deployed in Rat boxes with solar panels in position of strong sun. 

We would as a project like to acknowledge the support of the staff at the New Plymouth Airport (espically Marty) and the support of Fonterra to provide the units for this exciting development.

Update: Within two days of this deployment of the four traps there were two activations.   One of the traps had been moved during darkness from its trap location, the second contained a Stoat.  This is a hugely potentially significant development as it shows that the mustelid profile has shown results within 48 hours.