Provisional Data - End of Phase One (2020/2021)

As we start on the new phase of the sound lure project, focussed on specifically tracking the possum data from a number of locations throughout our region we have made some findings from the first stage of recording.   At the two locations that are listed below we have had two near identical set ups - a standard possum trap and a sound lure and a standard possum trap.   Both locations have been monitored by trail camers to record evidental data about what is happening at both locations.

At the longest recorded location we have been recording now for 146 days with a sound lure.  At this location 458 photographs of animals have been taken and 89 specific animals have been identified.   Taking into account the number of days there is an average of 5.5 photos a day and 0.64 animals that have appeared at this location.     

At the non sound lure location there have been a total of 199 photo graphs taken and 61 specific animals have been identified, an average of 1.61 animal photos per day and 0.54 animals have appeared at this location.

There are some factors that need to be addressed: We have had technical issues at this site address by changing the solar panel and the basic speaker deployment, which was initially inside a rat box.  This site cannot be accessed daily and during this time frame from when the units have been deployed to when they have been checked there has been clear evidence of possums expoloring the site and disturbing the set up, this has included them flipping over the solar panel or breaking the connecting wires, meaning that the unit has not been able to function as expected.

At the third location listed on this blog the non sound lure location has been monitored for twenty nine days.  During that time there have been forty two activations and eleven pest animals present.   This equates to an average activation of 0.69 per day for photographs and 0.37 for animals.   The corresponding data at the sound lure location has been monitored for forty days.   In this time there have been 719 activations (photographs) during this time an average of 17.97 per day and 123 animals for an average of 3.075 per day.

While this location has been running for less time a clearly regular patten is already being experienced at the two locations.   The heightened activity at the sound lure site at this rural location has included dramatic activity involving a possum, trapped in a head trap which then had additional possums interacting with the possum after it was deceased, this saw two hundred activations during a three day period of time.

Again at this site further recording of data and information needs to be maintained to ensure that this data is correct and reflective of the difference in the sites.

We are about to start of a significant recording process across numerous locations collecting data at each of these which we will be publishing as part of our Curious Minds Research Project.