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.

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.

Rainbow LED Initial Deployment

 

The next variation that we have been trying with the unit is a rainbow LED.   This essentially is the sound lure unit with an additional output - a rainbow LED which works in conjunction (at the same time) as the sound.

This is a replacement for the 'feather' motor that was also operating at the same time, as both aspects of the unit additions run from the same location.  Recent trials with the 'feather' motor have seen interest from feral cats visiting the unit repeatedly and also to the extent that it pulled the feather from the inside of rat box caging - as detailed on this blog.

The first night of the LED saw some interesting interactions.   Firstly the LED was placed inside the rat box this had the affect of creating having the entire box light up when the LED operated with is shower of colour.    Furthermore there was repeated visit from large rats to the site.   In each case the rats can be seen showing interest in the rat box with the LED and ignoring or showing no interest in the DOC 200 which is baited with rabbit (it should be also noted that the rat box with the LED is baited with a T-Rex with peanut butter, this was not activated during the evening.   While this is very much the initial deployment with the set up the potential here seems very encouraging.   

As we have done with our test deployment at this site we will continue to monitor the deployment of the unit and notice the interactions that are occurring.  We are intending to operate the unit with the LED and the light at present it is the LED only that is operating.

Revising Possum Sound Lures: Rat Box Retrials

At Deployment Site One we have repeated trialing variations of our Possum Sound Lure.   This location is distinct from the data gathering locations where we are maintaining consistent set ups to record the effectiveness of the lures.   One of the latest uses is bringing flashing LED lights into the equations

One of the other  questions that we have begun investigating is the sound lure acting as a deterrent at locations where it is being deployed, based on the sounds that might be playing and the volume level.    Our current set ups are involving 4w/8ohm speakers working in conjunction with the lure.   

When viewing recent footage shown by trail cameras monitoring a DOC200 trap there have been less than expected activations at the key site.    

We made a decision to return to using a rat box, which considerably muffles the sound - to see if this would have a positive effect on the number of activations as rats were particularly absent from the images.     Within the first two days of using the rat box again, after a week of using a DOC200, without general activations, there now have been two consecutive nights with a total of 64 activations, which is more in line for what we were expecting for this time of the year.    

In particular of note on the second of two nights there was repeated possum activity targetting the box.    From 9:42pm until 1:20am we saw five seperate visits to the location of the box in a series of images from brush tailed possums.   One clearly appeared to knock the box over and at least three seperate occasions possums or the possum if singular appear to try and enter the box.   This is particularly significant as the trap had peanut butter in it which had been baited the previous week had not been replaced and was not fresh, the only change with the trap was the replacing of the unit inside a rat box instead of a DOC200.      We are going to monitor this location over the next few nights to see if the same kinds of activations and details occur and will note it for further reference.

Revised Possum Lure: Experimenting with LED/Stats Update

 

As we have detailed previously we are preparing shortly to expand the possum part of the process significantly with a fresh look at data gathering at numerous locations in our area.

At each site we are deploying sound lures focussing on possums, and having a second site in the same general location with an indentical set up without the sound lure to compare the results.   Since September 2020 we have been doing this at one location.   Currently we have data that shows at the non sound lure location we have experienced or detailed 199 images of animals and identified 61 instances of specific pest animals, by the large brush tailed possums.   At the sound lure location we have 89 instances of specific pest animals and 458 images of these animals recorded by trail cameras.   

While it is but one location the evidence is suggesting of course that there are more brush tailed possums in the location with the sound lure and the animals at the sound lure location are spending a longer time there including engaging with the sound lure.   There is evidence to show that possums are also engaging with the non sound lure location, including recently rocking or tipping over the bait station (as the mother in the picture with her joey on her back) was seen doing.   Shortly we will be conducting multiple trials with a similar set up but data will be gathered from mulitplication locations including those being conducted by outside organisations to compare to ours.

There are an additional number of aspects to the trial taking place that we will be experimenting with as well. Andrew who is responsible for desiging and creating the electronics for the project has introduced a blinking LED light.   In the example on the left the LED can be seen at the front of the unit just below the line created by the green masking tape.   The LED when the unit plays a sound will repeatedly blink.   During darkness this blink is able to be viewed or noticed from a considerable distance.   While it is currently mounted on a DOC200 the intention is to place the LED in conjunction with a possum unit to encourage possums, who appear to be very curious, to enter the unit or interact with the trap.   

At this stage the LED is red, however further research will be conducted and experimented wtih to see which colour combinations and how ofter the LED is activated to see if it increases interactions with the brush tailed possum