When researchers tested a dual baiting regime on ship rats back in 2016-2017, they also made some interesting observations about possum behaviour in their study area. Could dual baiting be adapted to overcome the bait-shy behaviour of possum survivors too? Possums that survive an aerial 1080 … [Read more...] about Dual 1080 bait switch solves bait-shy possum issues
Techniques/technologies
Rats on the move – how far do they disperse?
How far might young rats disperse if they find themselves in a place with few other rat competitors? It’s an important question, with implications for deciding what surveillance is needed to detect invasions in predator-free islands, sanctuaries and ultimately, large predator-free mainland … [Read more...] about Rats on the move – how far do they disperse?
AviaNZ open-source software helps analyse bird calls
Birds are hard to see and sometimes shy of humans, so call counts are the way that population sizes are usually estimated. Automatic acoustic recorders have made recording bird calls easier – but recorders generate a lot of data – a LOT of data! It can end up being just too time-consuming to analyse … [Read more...] about AviaNZ open-source software helps analyse bird calls
Drone technology offers low impact method for seabird census
The Ashburton/Hakatere River mouth in Mid Canterbury is a nesting site for large colonies of black-billed gulls and white-fronted terns and proved an ideal study site for testing the bird census capabilities of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) compared to more traditional bird count methods. When … [Read more...] about Drone technology offers low impact method for seabird census
Detecting rodents during a food glut
How do you detect the presence of rats and mice if they’re surrounded by a glut of natural food? If it’s a mast year and there’s a carpet of seeds on the forest floor, they just may not be interested in your peanut butter-flavoured chew cards. If there are only a few remaining rats or mice in a … [Read more...] about Detecting rodents during a food glut
Researchers tackle challenge of monitoring rūrū
The rūrū is Aotearoa’s last remaining native owl. It’s not considered a threatened species. In fact, it’s reasonably common and widespread, especially in forested parts of the North Island and western South Island. But rūrū do tend to nest in tree cavities, which puts females at risk from introduced … [Read more...] about Researchers tackle challenge of monitoring rūrū
Identifying impediments to PF goals
Achieving Predator Free 2050 goals will take more than just a scaling-up of eradication efforts according to researchers Duane Peltzer et al from Landcare Research (Lincoln) and the University of Canterbury. They look beyond economic and technological feasibility to identify the key impediments we … [Read more...] about Identifying impediments to PF goals
Māori Studies students surveyed on social acceptability of wasp control biotechnologies
Wasps and new technologies to control and eradicate them was the focus of a recent study at Victoria University of Wellington, seeking Māori Studies students’ perspectives of the social acceptability of novel biotechnologies. Introduced accidentally in 1944 the German Wasp (Vespula germanica) is … [Read more...] about Māori Studies students surveyed on social acceptability of wasp control biotechnologies
National survey looks at ‘worldview’ and public attitudes to gene drive technologies
What do you know about gene drive technology? How do you feel about it? Would knowing more make you feel more supportive of gene drive as a future means of eradication? DNA strand. These were some of the questions posed in a recent study looking at public opinion towards gene drive and how it … [Read more...] about National survey looks at ‘worldview’ and public attitudes to gene drive technologies
Native plants show potential as future rat toxins
Tuhoe researchers recently joined other scientists in evaluating naturally occurring toxins in native plants. Could one of those toxins provide a culturally acceptable alternative to existing rodenticides? The results of their study have just been published in the New Zealand Journal of … [Read more...] about Native plants show potential as future rat toxins