This is a further update on the series of posts from the last few days. As noted we have begun using the live capture trap in conjunction with the sound lure, to test the effectiveness of the solar panel charging but also to see if the brush tailed possum would be discouraged from entering the live capture trap with the sound lure present.
Evidence that we have been collecting dating back several months now is showing that the brush tailed possum is attracted to the area where the lure is placed or located and this is in significantly higher numbers than areas where the sound lure is not deployed. Using of the Timms possum traps was showing little activation however we recently modified the trap to include the speaker into the base of the trap, this was on the evidence that we have found showing that the brush tailed possum on all three locations was interacting directly with the speaker (including holding it and attempting to eat it as it was activating). We also wanted to combine using the sound lure and a live capture trap to see if the two would work in combination.
Three nights ago in our first deployment as shown on this blog we had a brush tailed possum enter the trap, remove the fruit bait and return to the trap later in the evening. The second night of deployment there was no possum activity. During the second day a swallow entering the trap, triggering the trap (and resulting in a thousand or so photographs during the day). When this was discovered in the afternoon the bird was able to be released. The two photographs on the left show the deployment, including a DOC 200 which is to the immediate left of the live capture trap. This has been baited consistently with salted rabbit meat since September at this location, which has resulted in the capture of two rats. There are stoats operating in the general area however despite over a year of having traps deployed there has been no stoats captured.
The third night of the deployement saw the live capture trap successfully trapping a male possum. It appears on the camera at 12:03am and enters the trap at 12:09am (again as we've mentioned the trap is on a one minute timer so during this process the lure sounded six times). The trap then springs closed as it was set correctly.
This trap has been used in the general area for the past six years. There was an initial burst of seventeen possums caught in the area during the first twelve months and then two further possums caught directly in the house area in 2020. This has been at the house area which is located some 500m away from the river area of deployment site one. There has been possum activity in the general house area as noted by droppings etc and clear possum activity where the camera has been located, however none of these possums have entered the trap.
Significantly there was a second possum activation which occurred at 4:23am a second brush tailed possum passes through the area containing the trap, where the first possum is contained. This possum does not linger in the area, however it is interesting to note its appearance.
We are going to take a short term break from our data collection and will be returning to work in the new year.
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