trail camera

In New Zealand, endemic bat species require conservation management involving suppression of mammalian pest populations to prevent bat population declines. Toxins are frequently used to control mammalian pests; however, lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) are also susceptible to poisoning due to their unique forest floor foraging behaviour and willingness to sample different types of bait. Self-resetting traps may offer a suitable alternative to the use of toxins for control of rats if they do not also present a by-kill risk to bats.

Understanding when a species is active in its’ environment is essential when designing inventory and monitoring protocols, especially for ectotherms whose activity depends on local weather conditions. The New Zealand alpine zone hosts a diverse native assemblage of invertebrates that are poorly understood yet likely to face an increasing number of threats, particularly associated with climate change and the range expansion of introduced pests.