Interspecific variation in predation patterns of stoats and weasels in an alpine conservation programme
Conservation programmes in New Zealand often suppress populations of a single invasive predator for the benefit of threatened avifauna. However, the establishment of whole guilds of invasive species has created complex competitor and predator-prey relationships, including some well-described trophic cascades. Trap networks designed to target stoats (Mustela erminea) are poorly optimised to supress a population of weasels (M. nivalis), and may contribute to periodic spikes in weasel numbers due to decreased interspecific competition and aggression.