Trap risk mitigation for non-target species

Having our roots in conservation, we know that zero non-target kills for any effective pest management tool is a challenge. But we are 100% committed to getting the balance as optimal as possible, ensuring a swift removal of pests to increase biodiversity outcomes while mitigating the risk to non-target species.

No two environments are the same - neighbouring backyards can vary due to the in-situ flora and fauna. This makes a ‘one size fits all’ country-wide plan impossible.

So while we've pulled some general tips together to support your effective trapping journey, we would encourage you to email us prior to installation with species information specific to your environment.

Tips for outdoor non-target mitigation (prior to trap installation): 

1. Use your Trap Location Cards for several days prior to trap installation. While these cards are useful for finding optimal trap location they may also provide insights about what species are in the vicinity and showing interest in the rodent paste. 
2. Once you’ve established ideal trap placement (where rodents are feeding, evidenced by the cards), set up your trap but do not screw in the gas canister. You’ll be able to see what species interact with the trap without fear of it striking them (consider using a camera to help monitor activity). Once you’ve established no interaction of concern, add the gas canister to make the trap ‘live’. 
3. If you do see evidence of non-target species interacting with the trap, consider installing the trap indoors (again, use location cards to support ideal trap placement) or the seasonality of your trapping. Autumn/beginning of winter are classic breeding times for rodents and cooler months will draw them indoors (into roof spaces, garages, basements and sheds). 
4. Alternatively, email us for further advice. Our global conservation manager will consider the species in question and provide possible installation recommendations (for example trap height can mitigate risk to non-climbing species).
5. If you have weka in the area you wish to set the A24 up in we recommend setting it at 1.2m from the ground. This will make it much harder for them to enter the trap.

Please note: for any effective pest management tool, there is a threat to non-target animals. Goodnature tips and advice are devised to mitigate, not prevent risk entirely.

We are always striving to do better and seek to do that by: 

1. Our customer care team capturing all feedback (including non-target) for discussion with our animal research and product design specialists. 
2. We have a global conservation manager with 30+ years of small and large scale pest control experience in both NZ and overseas who regularly works with community and professional groups to ensure networks are optimised to their environments. 
3. We have an ecology and animal research team who are constantly trialling/testing in real world environments (and arguably ones that have some of the most at risk ground dwelling bird species). 
4. We have a design engineer dedicated to the A24 refinements based on both design improvements and feedback from customers. 
5. We are working on achieving a quantification of target animals killed vs environment health so that we might all be able to evaluate the risk/reward of pest management practices. 

If you would like to provide feedback or insights which might assist our knowledge, please email us. Any contribution is gratefully received.