Small Mammal Trapping

Over the last few weeks we have been completing a small mammal trap survey at one of the zoo sites here on the reserve. These trap grids consist of 100 small metal traps, each set out 10 metres apart, in a 10 x 10 formation. These traps are in no way harmful to the animals, but instead use food as a way of enticing the small mammal inside and once it steps onto the lever plate inside, the door shuts behind it. For this reason the traps are only set at night so that the any animals inside the traps do not overheat in the sun.

Before beginning to set the traps, it is essential that any small mammals in the area become habituated to them. If they instantly get trapped the first time they enter a trap, none of the animals in the area will ever go near a trap again and therefore the results from the survey will not be a true representation of what is actually present in the area. To overcome this issue, we pre-bait the traps for a whole week without setting them. This way, the animals can enter and leave the traps, with the food, as they please.

After the habituation week is complete, we then begin to set the traps each evening with food and bedding inside, and return first thing in the morning to check all the traps for any captures. We then leave then closed for the daytime and go back to reset them in the evening. This process is repeated for seven nights in a row.

Over the course of the week, we caught three rock/veld rats. Once found in the traps we measure the tail and body length, weight, determine sex, and mark the animal in order to see if it is recaptured. Then the animal is released back at the same trap site. The yearly results of these small mammal traps can be assessed to determine the overall health and diversity of small mammals on the reserve.