NZ AutoTraps AT220

The Problem

Possums, rats and stoats are three of NZ’s introduced pests. Possums destroy our forests by eating the new growth; all three destroy our native birds and insects. Hundreds of plants and birds have been driven to extinction and there is a long list of endangered plants, birds, bats and insects. Some groups getting less than 100 surviving. If we can’t control/eradicate these pests the endangered list will only grow. We should all care, the bird song in a native bush park that has been well control is beautiful, and an uncontrolled area of bush is dead and quiet. Every native animal that succumbs to extinction is gone for ever. Forever is a long time and there is no return. . . . . . Currently there are two main methods used to control Possums, rats and stoats: Poisons are commonly used however there is controversy over what extent poisons should be used, where poisons shouldn’t be used and the methods used to deploy the poisons. Especially the aerial dropping of 1080. Another common control method is trapping. Trapping is more accepted by the public however trapping is more expensive and labour intensive when compared to poisons. Also the more effective traps are manual-resetting and pest specific, meaning three trap types are required along with three programs and three budgets.

Our Proposal

Our proposal is to increase the pest trapping efficiency by developing an automatic resetting/rebaiting trap that can effectively kill possums, rats and stoats. . . . The AT220 automatic kill trap is now working and in the early stages of evaluated, so far with positive results, reports attached. The AT220 can kill possums, rats and stoats in the same trap. The AT220 achieves this by using two kill zones within the same trap, a crushing zone for the rats and mice and a strangle zone for larger pests like the possum. The AT220 is the only kill trap that can efficiently kill a large pest like a possum and also kill a small rat or mouse. Here in NZ these are our target pests, this trap could be adapted to include different pest types like feral cats or foxes. . . . Added advantages of this trap are that pest control management teams can now combine budgets to cover a larger area with the same money, automatic resetting means less labour, and auto rebaiting increases the trap efficiency.

We Assume that...

Constraints to Overcome

Education and extensive trials are two big constraints I see. Education first: Most pest control programs have a program and budget for possums and quite separately a program and budget for rats and stoats. Both programs will often be in the same conservation area. The AT220 concept of combining both programs and budgets in to one program is proving more difficult than expected. Extensive trials: Extensive trials will help the education constraint however extensive trials using hundreds of traps costs a lot of money and takes time. $300,000 to $400,000 would be required to set up a single measurable trial with results after two or three years. Most landscape size projects would want to see the results from several trials before considering the AT220 and an alternative eradication tool.

Current Work

Small scale trials and evaluation.

Current Needs

Our project needs both financial and labour resources over the next 6 months. Production and electronic skills are also required but limited by financial resources.