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Practical Problems

At Kaingaroa, birds, including robins Petroica australis and possibly House Sparrows Passer domesticus, left bill marks in incompletely taken baits, especially in open areas. On one occasion a feral cat was observed following the person setting out the baits, undoing his work. On other occasions high levels of baits taken (often 100%) were preceded and followed by relatively low levels (e.g. Table 3, day 24, poisoned area). On pastoral land stray stock could be responsible for taking baits in other cases rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus or deer Cervus sp. would seem more likely culprits. This can be minimised by designing a bait station inaccessible to other animals (e.g. by placing the bait platform in a tube or under low cover) and by selecting a bait which is unpalatable to say cats and rabbits (a pollard or lured jam bait may be appropriate).