Kia ora all,
Looking to install a trapping network in a coastal site with historic records of kororā / little blue penguins. The local community is keen to see the penguins return to the site and have even installed some nest boxes in the hopes of attracting nesting adults.
Our standard pest animal network includes DOC250 traps (with the front mesh opened to 5x5 squares) and Timms traps. Do either of these pose a risk to little blue penguins? I’m particularly interested to hear from individuals or groups who do trapping in areas with nesting penguins.
It’s a good point you make and something I wondered about recently.
I would think that following DOC guidelines on use of DOC 200 box design for places where Weka are present is the thing to do. Timms traps on the ground would pose a danger. I think Goodnature A24s would also pose a danger.
We have DOC200 traps on Ōtamahua/Quail Island. In the areas where penguin visitation is unlikely, we use a 4x4 opening (i.e. 80mm x 80mm) and in prime penguin habitat we use a 3x3 opening (i.e. 60mm x 60mm). They are a mix of Haines traps and homemade double traps and not all are regulation weka proof length. To my knowledge no kororā have been trapped over 20 years. Hope this helps.