Deployment Site Two - Pest Activation

Please note: This post is intended as a discussion point about the sound lure project and what is happening at the site.  In New Zealand Hedgehogs are considered an introduced pest.

There have been several activations at this site for the past few days.   When the trap was cleared two days ago a large Hedgehog had been trapped in the confines of the trap.   The set up was intended to prevent this, as it is a tunnel trap to target small mustleids and rats, however the hedgehog in this instance had managed to enter the tunnel aspect of the trap and by reaching forward with its head activate the trap.  This trap has a sound lure operating in the tunnel and a secondary bait of peanut butter which is now two weeks old.    There is clearly in the photograph from the tracking camera a second hedgehog shown in the top left of the photograph.

The trap was subsequently cleared and reset.   The following night a similar activation of the trap from another large Hedgehog which was also disposed of. 

In both instances the trap has been set well back from the tunnel entrance but the inclusion of the sound lure in the back of the trap has moved the trap forward, allowing the Hedgehog access to it from the front.     There are currently no specific Hedgehog traps in New Zealand.   The trap has been reset again, with the same bait set up, locations and details as before.

Deployment SIte Two - Explanation of Site/Problem Solving

This video is a visual description showing Site Two for the camera deployment trial.  The intention is to show the area which it is being deployed in.   The purpose of this location is to put the unit under continued conditions outside to measure its viability.

Issues that we are associating with this location (two week summary):

• Powering Up the Unit - this unit is being run by the solar panel that is shown above on the box.   We have increased the size of the Lipo Battery and are monitoring and measuring.  We are monitoring the power level generated by the solar power, the intention has always been for the unit to charge during the day and play during the night and then continue the cycle.  This is an ongoing issue with the unit that we are attempting to resolve, and will involve considerable more testing, deveoping and prototyping.
• Morning Dew - there is already (it is the middle of summer) evidence of morning dew that is present on the solar panel, and it is accurring on the panel during darkness.   One of the issues moving forward would be protecting the electronic circuits from moisture, the early versions of our unit with 3D Printing have not had the ability to drain away moisture.
• Pests that are in the area - we have recorded Hedgehogs at this location and (domestic) cats which appear to be interacting with the sound lure although not attempting to  enter the box, which has been baited with peanut butter.   

Sound Lure Deployment: Site Two - One Week Update

 Rationale:
This site has been selected to run indefinitely with the existing electronic sound lure set up.   This sound lure has been placed inside a small tunnel trap, with the solar panel at the back of the trap, the electronics are inside a 3D Printed box, which is located inside the wooden structure.

This trap has been baited with peanut butter only - and other than the sound lure has no additional bait.    Its location is detailed in a video on this

blog.    In the course of the week of deployment there has been one significant rainfall which was of 6mm on the second night.

After a week of deployment the sound lure is operating successfully in a charge situation. 

In the week to date there has been one activation of the trap, which was not supported by camera footage and there was no additional evidence in the trap.   There has been activations in the area as shown by the photographs - the two shown here show a domestic cat and hedgehog neither of which interacted with the trap itself but were in the vicinity.