Improving techniques for the Waxtagreg; possum (&lt;i&gt;Trichosurus vulpecula&lt;/i&gt;) monitoring index

Ogilvie, Shaun C.; Paterson, Adrian M.; Ross, James G.; Thomas, Moyer D.

doi:10.30843/nzpp.2006.59.4507

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…For subsequent analysis, we focused on possum movements over three possible device exposure periods, specifically 1, 3, and 5 consecutive nights. These correspond respectively to the periods most relevant to device deployment, including: leg-hold trapping (where traps are set and checked daily), aerial poisoning (where the aim is usually to try to ensure kill rates are maximized by exposing possums for three consecutive fine nights) [ 20 ], and non-lethal activity detection devices (such as ChewCards and Waxtags [ 21 , 22 ]) that are typically left in place for continuous periods of 5–7 nights [ 23 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying Short-Term Foraging Movements in a Marsupial Pest to Improve Targeted Lethal Control and Disease Surveillance

et al. 2015

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In New Zealand, the introduced marsupial brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is a pest species subject to control measures, primarily to limit its ability to transmit bovine tuberculosis (TB) to livestock and for conservation protection. To better define parameters for targeted possum control and TB surveillance, we here applied a novel approach to analyzing GPS data obtained from 44 possums fitted with radio-tracking collars, producing estimates of the animals’ short-term nocturnal foraging patterns based on 1-, 3- or 5-nights’ contiguous data. Studies were conducted within two semi-arid montane regions of New Zealand’s South Island High Country: these regions support low-density possum populations (<2 possums/ha) in which the animals’ home ranges are on average larger than in high-density populations in forested habitat. Possum foraging range width (FRW) estimates increased with increasing monitoring periods, from 150-200m based on a single night’s movement data to 300-400m based on 5 nights’ data. The largest average FRW estimates were recorded in winter and spring, and the smallest in summer. The results suggest that traps or poison-bait stations (for lethal control) or monitoring devices (for TB surveillance), set for > 3 consecutive nights at 150m interval spacings, would likely place >95% of the possums in this type of habitat at risk of encountering these devices, year-round. Modelling control efficacy against operational expenditure, based on these estimations, identified the relative cost-effectiveness of various strategies that could be applied to a typical aerial poisoning operation, to reduce the ongoing TB vectorial risk that possums pose in the High Country regions. These habitat-specific findings are likely to be more relevant than the conventional pest control and monitoring methodologies developed for possums in their more typical forested habitat.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying Short-Term Foraging Movements in a Marsupial Pest to Improve Targeted Lethal Control and Disease Surveillance

et al. 2015

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“…1994b, Algar et al 2004, Warburton and Yockney 2009. Historically, the baits and lures used for possum control in New Zealand have focused on stimulating the visual and olfactory senses of the possum (Cowan 1987, Morgan et al 1995, Ogilvie et al 2006, and it is well established that these have increased the likelihood of possums interacting with control devices (Cowan 1987).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within New Zealand, olfactory and visual attractants are used extensively to lure the Australian brushtail possum (Trichosaurus vulpecula), an introduced marsupial that has established itself as a major agricultural and ecological pest (Morgan et al 1995, Todd et al 1998, Caley et al 1999, Payton 2000. The usual visual and olfactory lure used for attracting possums is a flour blaze, a 5:1 mix of plain white flour and icing sugar (powdered sugar) often scented with an essential oil (e.g., cinnamon) spread on tree trunks (Cowan 1987, Ogilvie et al 2006, NPCA 2008, Warburton and Yockney 2009. Unfortunately, the long-term effectiveness of the flour blaze is limited because of environmental degradation (Spurr 1999, Ogilvie et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The usual visual and olfactory lure used for attracting possums is a flour blaze, a 5:1 mix of plain white flour and icing sugar (powdered sugar) often scented with an essential oil (e.g., cinnamon) spread on tree trunks (Cowan 1987, Ogilvie et al 2006, NPCA 2008, Warburton and Yockney 2009. Unfortunately, the long-term effectiveness of the flour blaze is limited because of environmental degradation (Spurr 1999, Ogilvie et al 2006). In addition, the distance from which a flour blaze can attract possums is further limited by the distance from which the flour or scented oil can be seen or smelt (Carey et al 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Progressing the Possum Pied Piper Project

Kavermann¹,

Ross²,

Paterson³

et al. 2012

vertebrate_pest_conference

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Improving vertebrate pest control operations relies on increasing pest animal interactions with control devices (e.g., bait stations, bait bags, and/or traps). Interactions are encouraged using a variety of baits and lures that stimulate an animal's visual, olfactory, or auditory sense, orientating the target species towards a control device. On a generalised spatial scale of conspicuousness, an auditory lure will function over a greater distance for mammals in forested ecosystems than both visual and olfactory lures, suggesting auditory lures could have the greatest luring potential. In New Zealand, there is an overabundance of the introduced Australian brushtail possum that is the subject of ongoing control. Ground-based control operations typically use visual (e.g., a flour blaze), and to a lesser extent olfactory (e.g., cinnamon) lures for attracting possums to control devices. However, the potential for an auditory stimulus remains largely unexamined and underutilised. Research presented here expands on previous studies with captive animals and examines the development and field testing of an audio lure for possum control. The results from three preliminary field trials show that possums found audio-lured devices sooner than un-lured devices, and that a greater proportion of lured devices were located over time. In addition, possums were recorded investigating lured sites at a higher rate compared to un-lured sites, suggesting that possums were more likely to interact with a control device if it has an audio-lure than if it does not.

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“…Species‐specific footprints (or ‘tracks’) allow identification of species presences and although bulkier than chew cards, allow relatively easy data collection (Ogilvie et al . ). There are standardized protocols for residual trap catch and wax tags for possums (NPCA , ) and the New Zealand Department of Conservation provide guidance for tracking tunnels (Gillies & Williams ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Interspecies interference and monitoring duration affect detection rates in chew cards

2016

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Pest monitoring methods should provide unbiased accurate estimates of pest densities and locations, while also minimizing time-in-field and costs. Recent pest mammal monitoring studies have found that chew cards are more effective than conventional mammal monitoring methods, but little experimental work has been done to determine optimal experimental duration or quantify the risks of saturation by one species biasing detections of other species. Here, we used chew cards in three sites within Awarua wetland (Southland, New Zealand) to investigate the optimal amount of time required to detect targeted pest species (rats, possums and mice), and to examine the potential of rats and possums to bias detection rates of other species. We found depressed detections of possums and rats where a contraspecific had been detected on a card, which is consistent with previous studies of a similar duration on interspecies interference. This experiment is the first to analyse the rates at which species detections accrue over the course of a survey, and we found rat detections lagged behind possums for the first four nights. We modelled the effect of survey duration and relative rat abundance on the likelihood of further possum detections. Duration and rat abundance interacted, meaning there are trade-offs to be considered with regard to duration: shorter durations may avoid the risk of saturation in areas of high pest density, but risk not sampling sparse or neophobic populations. Our data suggest that chew cards remain one of the most sensitive pest monitoring tools for rats and possums, compared to conventional methods such as tracking tunnels and wax tags. In areas of moderate pest densities, we suggest that a duration of five nights is optimal for detecting pests. However, in areas of high pest density the sensitivity of chew cards may render them unsuitable because of saturation and interspecies interference effects.

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Improving techniques for the Waxtagreg; possum (<i>Trichosurus vulpecula</i>) monitoring index

Cited by 9 publications

References 3 publications

Quantifying Short-Term Foraging Movements in a Marsupial Pest to Improve Targeted Lethal Control and Disease Surveillance

Quantifying Short-Term Foraging Movements in a Marsupial Pest to Improve Targeted Lethal Control and Disease Surveillance

Progressing the Possum Pied Piper Project

Interspecies interference and monitoring duration affect detection rates in chew cards

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