Monitoring bait removal in vertebrate pest control: a comparison using track identification and remote photography

Abstract

The removal of non-toxic fox baits was monitored simultaneously using identification of tracks in sand plots and an inexpensive method of remote photography. During 1126 bait-nights carried out using both methods at sites in the central and northern tablelands of New South Wales, 106 baits were removed by a variety of target and non-target animals. Whereas the results of sand plots may be inaccurate or unreliable, particularly during poor weather conditions, remote photography provides results that are less open to misinterpretation.