People are starting to use the Smart Cages across Franklin, but by far the biggest buy-in has been in Whiriwhiri. The concept was to flip the trapping game on its head, do away with walking lines, rotten animals, re-baiting, and ineffective traps. Replace all of that with high interaction multi-species traps, the type that need no expertise, that lure themselves, and only require visits when they’ve done their job.
It’s early days but the radical change in the results really does seem to prove the theory. For far less effort than was required to catch only possums, landowners are now catching all the target species, while keeping domestic cats, and birds safe.
Note this isn’t a regimented trapping group – this is farmers, life-stylers, hunters, etc, working independently with potentially different motives, on a collaborative project across a few thousands hectares.
Any other wins? Yes!
- Landowners are re-engaged with the biodiversity on their own land.
- Reliable statistics are gathered, and trappers are supported in that process.
- The traps provide excellent re-incursion monitoring.
- Excellent and easy accountability and environmental reporting for funders and councils.
Many wins !!!
