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Volume 10, Wednesday, February 20, 2013
n c e e r e ff i D A e k a M locally and
Trapping attracts unusual animals A
By Millie Thomas
rid Recovery wrapped up their annual trapping program last Friday after capturing some more interesting specimens. A spokesperson said mild weather and rain deterred chances of catching larger mammals and reptiles, but there were still plenty of surprises for eager volunteers. “A Bolams Mouse (Pseudomys bolami) was captured this morning (Friday), the first Bolams mouse all week,” said an Arid Recovery
spokesperson. “(Thursday) night saw the geckoes a little more active too, with several Central Knobtailed geckoes (Nephrurus levis) found in pit fall traps this morning. Their cute bulging eyes and delicate feet make them a favourite with all the volunteers and staff. “Another first for the week was the Broad-Banded Sand Swimmer (Eremiascinus richardsonii), a large and healthy specimen.” The spokesperson said on top of these interesting captures, the highlight for the week was finding a Western Barred Bandicoot in an Elliott trap.
A cute little dunnart was just one of the animals trapped by Arid Recovery.
“He was brought back into the lab, and processed there which involved weighing, measurements and micro chipping on the back of his neck,” the spokesperson said. “Not usually captured during the week of annual trapping, this little critter was a bonus for staff and volunteers involved.” Also captured throughout the week was the Plains Rat (Pseudomys australis) and three common species of skinks - Ctenotus schomburgkii, Ctenotus leonhardii and Ctenotus regius. The 16th annual event was held from Monday, February 11 until
Friday, February 15 and helps Arid Recovery monitor animal numbers and study the impact that feral predators such as cats and foxes have on native small mammal and reptile populations. The trapping program uses pit fall and Elliot traps. Elliot traps are used mainly to catch rodents such as Spinifex Hopping Mice, Bolam’s Mice, Plains Rats and House Mice. Animals are baited with peanut butter and rolled oats, which is placed inside the small aluminium trap. The traps are then checked every morning, and closed for the warm-
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er periods of the day, so animals are not caught under the hot summer sun. Pitfall traps are used to catch reptiles and small marsupials, as well as rodents and occasionally frogs. PVC pipe is cut and placed vertically into the ground, with the lip running adjacent with the ground. Traps are set approximately two metres apart, with a mesh fence erected between the pit, running across the middle of each trap. The animals hit the fence, run along it and then fall into the traps.
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