January Summary: LED and Sound Lure in Combination

 

As the month comes to a close we can reflect on the month of recording results at deployment site one.

We have used a combination of LED lights and sound lure at the location and regularly recorded the activity using trail cameras.   Due to weather conditions and concerns about the viability of the cameras long term we have been reluctant to place the cameras out when we are aware that rain has been forecast.  We have maintained the traps during this time, including the sound lure to monitor activations.

At the sound lure/LED location we have seen interest shown in the LED lights and a combination of behaviour around the sound lure.   We have a month of HD footage showing interaction the highlights of which have been placed on this blog and on youtube.

Some basic background at the site - it is a riparian planting site close to a local river (which can be heard in the background when the camera is operating).    Previously we have operated a variety of traps at this location to measure the viability and note the interaction or otherwise between the possums and trap/lure.

At the sound lure location we had captures of possums on January 1st (when the new block of recording starting the previous night), January 4th and January 16th.   There were further activations on January 2nd and January 9th on these dates the trap was activated but no possum was trapped.     

There were 81 animals seen on camera, including three possums on one occasion.   In the first half of the month there was an average of 4.3 animals on view during the monitoring and 1.1 during the second half of the month (there is some doubt about the cameras being used effectively during this period due to the weather and the age of the cameras however the physical evidence based on the captures and activation is not in dispute.).

At the non sound lure location there were captures on 31st of December, 3rd of January and an activation on the 20th of January.

It is our intention to record data for an entire year at this location using a combination of the sound lure and LED lights.   The checks that are occurring are being carried out every day to ensure that the traps are cleared.  We will endeavour to record as much footage as possible although we are reluctant to do so if the weather is predicted to be including rainfall due to concerns about the viability of the tracking cameras and exposing them long term to moisture.   We have as we have stated before extensive HD footage at the site of the sound lure operating and possums in particular interacting with it.   While we have uploaded some of this footage we have an external storage device with extensive footage.

HD Video Footage: Cautious Possum

 We have mentioned on this blog repeatedly a possum with dark fur, that appears to be a male that has appeared at the site numerous times and has been described as ultra cautious.  This video from the 23rd and 24th of January gives an example of what we mean when describing this particular animals behaviour.  

The possum first appears from behind the tree at 11:20pm and spends time observing, but not approaching the trap (which is activating during this time).   The possum is adopting the two legged stance during this time.

We have placed next to the trap a pear, which is lying there just in front of it - the possum observes but does not approach either the trap or the pear.  It returns at 12:13am and slowly approaches the site from the same direction, listening as the lure operates and observing.

A full five minutes later, after standing almost motionless watching and observing it makes a move forward to the pear, nudges it with its snout, attempting to bite it and almost instantly pulls its head back and runs back from the area (the lure did not operate during this time).      The possum then exits the site via the tree.

An unknown possum then arrives at the site at 12:47am this possum is active in the tree containing the camera and is observing the site from the adjacent tree.  This possum is most likely responsible for the removal of the pear which occurs shortly after this.    There is no footage of the pear leaving, but the next activation at 12:51am (also from the adjacent tree) shows clearly that the pear has disappeared by this point.   While we cannot be certain that the male is responsible for this he has been seen putting his head inside the Timms trap and removing it almost instantly - there has been activations of the trap where an animal has removed itself despite activating the trap and it is not inconceivable that this possum is responsible for this.

In regards to the sound lure in general this possum is still showing interest in the area, is repeatedly observing and returning to the site and is not showing obvious aversion to the noise generated by the lure, however after several months of playing the same sound profile (at random times generated by the computer program) there is still interest shown by this possum.

Triple Possum At LED/Sound Lure Location.

Throughout this month we are continuing to gather data from a combination of experimenting with LED lights and using the sound lure at deployment site one.   We are collecting data from this site and also an alternative site where we have a Timms trap deployed but no additional devices.   Currently since we have begun this trial at the LED/lure location we have had five activations of the trap this month (two activations of the trap and three captures) and three activations at the non sound lure location (two captures and one activation of the trap).    We have recorded 72 different animals (brush tailed possums, rats and a cat) at the location with the camera/lights/lure.  Due to three nights of rain we have not deployed the technology at this point (although the traps themselves have remained in place)

We have recorded HD video of the interactions between the possums and the LED/sound lure.   The general trend that we have experienced over the past few months is continuing - that is that we are seeing interaction with the noise, and a lesser extent the LED lights, but limited aversion to either.    There is a darker brush tailed possum which is frequently the location - he seems particularly trap shy as he will put his head into the Timms but almost instantly pulls it out again.

This video below is our first 'triple' when the possums are all alive (we have in the past had three possums but two were interacting with a third dead possum) recorded in Kapuni, New Zealand.   We have a file of HD footage of the sound lure project if anyone would require a copy of any of the data you are welcome to drop us a message to obtain the information.

HD Video Footage Summary: Using LED Lights

 

This is the first instance (evening activity summary) of using four blinking LED lights at deployment site one.   There is a variety of activity on the site - weather conditions were clear.

Second night of activity at deployment site one - a summary of the activity between brush tailed possums and rats with four blinking LED lights operating - see summary details below of the setup.

2022: Pivot Towards Using LED Lights to Attract Possums

During the last few years we have been working extensively to look at producing a working sound lure to attract pest animals to assist trapping in a New Zealand Environment.   The focus initially was based around stoats before shifting towards brush tailed possums, although we intending returning to stoats and rats at some point in 2022.

Andrew Hornblow, who is based in Opunake has been responsible for the key elements of the electronics in this project and we have recently looked at ways to refine the project from a focus on sound lures to include a focus on LED lights and simple robotic movement - and its affect on attracting possums.

To this end we have switched deployment site one to focus on using Andrew's idea for an LED setup.  This this features a breadboard, basic chip (Pickaxe) and a simple LED light that is timed to go off to read the volume level of the three AA batteries that are powering the unit.   This flash of the voltage shows a long and short pattern which is transmitted to the LED - causing a seemingly random flash.   We have four different colours that we are testing.  For the purpose of the initial test we have grouped four different LEDs (and yes that is a margarine container that is housing the unit).

The units are deployed with the back left unit being green, the back right being blue, the front left being yellow and the front right being red.   The units are reading the light level from the LED and do not operate during daylight.     The set up can be shown below at deployment site one.   

The reason for the displacement of the four units from the pattern that is described above was that on the first night of deployment interest in the LEDs was shown and possums moved the (lightweight) units around.   There is no trap associated directly with the units - the key test element here is to see if the blinking LED's will create an interest for the possums to venture to the site and will this be any different from what we have experienced by using a sound lure at this location.

Obviously it is very early in this trial but in the first night we have had ten activations at the site.   This is mid range for what we have been experiencing recently.

However the first night did see the return of a female with a baby to the site (shown in the photo to the left) which showed clear interest in the yellow LED (by pushing its nose against the unit and moving it when it activated).    There was no visit by the large dark brushed tailed possum that has frequented the site over the past several months.   These are both trends and data that we will look to analyse moving forward to see if we can determine the difference that an LED might make.   One thing that we can already state is that the LED's by themselves do not appear to be a source of fear for the possums.  We had several visits to the site and the Timms trap (which has no sound lure attached so is in essence operating as it is intended) was activated by a trapped possum which was caught at 2:05am - of note there were no further visits to the site after this capture.   This contrasts slightly with our last capture on the night of the 1st of January (which was at 1:48am) when there were a further five visits after our last capture the last of which occurred at 4:12am.

2022: New Years Trapping Progress

 We have restarted monitoring at Deployment Site One.  The focus has been to return to the traditional five sounds we initially used to target possums.   These are playing on a one minute interval (subject to battery level if the battery is charged more frequently the unit is programmed to play more often) with one of five random sounds.  The site is being monitored by HD Cameras that are recording interactions at the site during the night.   There is a Timms trap deployed at the site, baited with apple - the sound lure has been attached directly to the back of this unit as there has been a hole drilled via the back where the speaker is then linked to the unit.  A second alternate unit has been placed next to the compost heap on the property bordering this location, to put it in context on the property itself twenty seven possums have been caught in the last three years, using a variety of bait (almost exclusively apple or pear)

In the previous nine days the stoat box, which has been deployed during the past six months recorded a strike of a rat.  This is the first capture from this unit and it occurred sometime from December 23rd to December 31st.  There was no sound lure operating during this time.

On the night of the 31st of December/1st of January there were a total of four visits from brush tailed possums visible on camera.   None of the animals activated the trap - it appears that the black male that was present in November/December is still in the area and this animal in particular seems very trap wary.  The alternate trap, placed next to the compost heap (without sound lure) was activated and a female was caught.

The follow night, with the same set up, including the same bait - there was some of the highest activity present during all recording.   There were seventeen seperate series of video activations starting at 9:43pm and concluding at 4:12am on the morning of the second of January.

Above: This specific video deals with the sound lure/rat interaction from January 1st/2nd

The domestic cat was first on the scene, briefly at 9:43pm followed by a series of brush tailed possum activations.   Possums arrived at 10:09pm, two were present at 10:22pm.  At 10:32pm a male appeared which fled up a tree, returning at 10:42pm.   In-between this a extremely large rat appeared at 10:38pm.  The possum left at 10:48pm when another rat reappeared.   Possums then came to the site at 12:19am on January 2nd and returned at 1:48am.

During this time there is clear evidence of the sound lure repeatedly operating with the various possums reacting to it (the rat showed no reaction) or continuing with their activity.   There was one example of clear aversion from a black male at 10:32pm - although this animal clearly returned at 10:42pm.    (This again is quite possibly the same male observed since November which is very careful around the trap).

At 1:48am another brush tailed possum arrived - and this animal activated the trap and was captured.   This animal was able to pull the Timms trap down the hill and moved the setup, including the sound lure, which is why after the capture the lure is present and the trap itself is not, as it was just out of sight.

Above: Specific Highlights from Jan 1st/2nd a sample of the 17 distinct interactions recorded

There were further visits to the site following this capture at 2:47am, 3:02am, 3:21am, 3:44am and a final visit at 4:12am.     In each of these visits animals arrived at the site and interacted or showed interest in the scene or the lure.   There was no evidence of post capture activity towards the captured female.    

In summary: 

• there was heightened activity on the second night including a record number of visits: a record for this site.
• two day old apple proved successful at the river site (there was not a follow up strike on the compost site, which there is currently not a camera monitoring)
• the domestic cat visit was the first in a year or so, although the cat may well have been passing through the site and did not linger as it has done in the past
• the capture at the river was the first since November 17th and camera footage would show that there is a significant number of possum activity in this riparian planting area
• the rat is the first HD video footage that we have recorded, although there has been activity here in the past.   It was interesting to see that the rat did not react to the possum noise and also was clearly in the vicinity at the same time as the possums.