The trapping areas we established first have been the Northern and Eastern faces which surround the Inlet, are mostly on crown land, and involve section of the DoC maintained Queen Charlotte and Antimony Mine walking tracks. As our funds increase, we will increase the reach of the trap lines.

On Christmas Eve 2010 the first 30 traps were set out. Placed at approximately 200 metre intervals, the traps spread from the south of the settled area known as the Pines all the way to the farmland at the head of the Inlet,  including a line of 5 traps up the Waterfall Track behind Furneaux Lodge. A further 30 traps were established in December 2011, and all of these traps are checked by local volunteers once or twice a month.

More recently, we have added new traplines around Furneaux and behind the Howden’s Bush area, developed an intensive rat trapping area for Howden’s Bush, and have new lines up into the surrounding ridgelines.

Types of traps used

Possums are trapped using two methods

• The Trapinator - a trap designed for possums and developed with the Department Of Conservation (DoC). It's easy to use, tree mounted and only non poisonous bait is used.
• The Goodnature A12 or 'Henry' Trap - these traps are powered by compressed C02 gas. The gas source is a small, recyclable canister that will power and reset the trap multiple times before needing to be replaced. No poison is used, they work by striking the skull of the pest animal with a Piston, which kills instantly. The trap resets itself immediately, and there are 24 resets in every CO2 canister.

Rats and Stoats are trapped using two methods:

• The DoC 150 in a box with the DoC single set tunnel - these are designed as humane kill traps for stoats, rats and hedgehogs, and they are built in a way that prevents Wekas from entering them.
• The A24 Goodnature trap - this is a multi species kill trap, targeting rats and stoats. 

Find out how you can donate a trap to help us in our pest eradication work.