Confirmed Stoat Sighting - Deployment Site One

 

Please note: this monitored activity is taking place during a national Covid-19 Level Three lockdown, it is within close walking distance (deployment site one) of a residential house.   There was no violation of the lockdown rules.

While we have been continuing to monitor the effectiveness of the possum targeted sound lure, in preparation for our final deployment and we are continuing see strong results (with only a small fraction of the images capture being posted here) we can also now confirm that stoats are in the main deployment area (location one).

After two years of tracking stoats, including a close encounter when a ferret walked into school and came up the ramp to a classroom and was seen peering in the door window, there was this morning a verified stoat sighting in the area adjacent to the main possum testing area.   In the photograph on the left on the ledge that is immediately above the river a stoat was clearly seen making its way along the length of it a nine o'clock in the morning.   It could be identified by its colour, shape and there was the tell tale sign of the black tip on its tail.   This has meant that a focus has now shifted with an addition DOC200 being placed in the field adjacent to where the stoat was seen with chicken meat and a basic sound lure set up.   Once it is possible the site will be upgraded with a targeted sound lure and salted rabbit meat (this is not possible due to movement restrictions).    We will also be experimenting with various sound profiles targeting the stoats that we now know are in the area.  We have previously used this location as a testing site.

We have just started spring in New Zealand, which is the start of a new season and crucially a new stoat hunting season, as we know stoats are hunting during this time for their kitts.   

Also of note are a series of images from last night, again showing considerable interest in the sound lure as opposed to the bait that is in the general area. The brush tailed possum in these series of photos can be clearly seen crouching down to observe or interact the rat box (which is where the sound lure is operating from) it is doing so at the time that there is a variety of food items placed around the location of the trap.  The possum is not feeding on the food it is instead clearly concentrating on the sound.