The performance of wild-canid traps in Australia: efficiency, selectivity and trap-related injuries

Abstract

Wild dogs and European red foxes are considered pest animals in Australia. Restraining devices to capture these wild canids are sometimes required by wildlife managers. However, the use of traps is controversial. This paper discusses the efficiency, selectivity and injuries inflicted by some leg-hold traps that are available in Australia for capturing wild canids. The trapping of feral cats with wild-canid traps is also briefly discussed. The most commonly used leg-hold trap in Australia is the toothed, steel-jawed, leg-hold trap. Alternative traps, including offset- and padded-jawed traps (similar to the Victor Soft Catch®), and steel-jawed traps that have been modified to incorporate padding and off-setting of jaws, were shown to be preferable. The alternative traps were as efficient and selective as toothed, steel-jawed traps, but were less injurious. The Treadle snare, although more likely to miss target animals, was also shown to be less injurious than unmodified, steel-jawed leg-hold traps. It is difficult to justify the continued use of unmodified, steel-jawed leg-hold traps for the capture of wild canids in Australia.

How effective and selective is traditional Red Fox snaring?

“…In France, Ruette et al (2003) obtained efficiencies of 1.2-17.9 foxes per 1,000 trap-nights and 0-31.7 foxes per 1,000 trap-nights, using neck or leg snares, respectively. Efficiencies calculated for Australia and US using different kind of snares varied from a minimum of 2.1 to as much as 21.6 foxes per 1,000 trap-nights (Litvaitis et al 1984, Meek et al 1995, Bubela et al 1998, Fleming et al 1998, Shivik et al 2005. Efficiency obtained in this study falls within the ranged observed by other authors in Europe using similar devices.…”

Differences in the capture rate of cage‐trapped red foxesVulpes vulpesand an evaluation of rabies control measures in Britain

“…1995). Bubela, Bartell & Müller (1998) recorded 0·025–0·026 captures trap‐night −1 for treadle snares, and Fleming et al . (1998) 0·016–0·056 captures trap‐night −1 for a variety of methods.…”

Satellite tracking of wild dogs in south-eastern mainland Australian forests: Implications for management of a problematic top-order carnivore

“…These traps are designed to reduce impact on the captured animal's limb (see Meek et al, 1995;Fleming et al, 1998). In each study area traps were set on or adjacent to vehicular trails at sites with wild dog scratchings, urine stains or faeces.…”