Rat eradication tools MacGyvered
Te Korowai o Waiheke Team Member, Phil, with the Mangrove Trap
Skilled in improvisation, problem-solving and good old fashioned kiwi ingenuity, Field Team Technician Phil Salisbury is our very own MacGyver when it comes to creative solutions for tools in the rat eradication pilot.
To the untrained eye, empty milk bottles, old real estate signs, and PVC pipe offcuts are junk, fit for the Resource Recovery Park. But, through the innovative eyes of a seasoned cabinet maker, come, predator-free island manager, come field team technician, they are materials with hidden potential.
Just add a little plywood here and a little mesh there and that pile of junk is quickly transformed into custom-made devices fit for use in the rat eradication pilot.
"All the tools we are trying to create for the pilot not only need to be something that appeals to the target species but we aim to be environmentally responsible as far as resources that we use," says Phil.
The pilot area stretches over 850ha of Waiheke, and standard devices simply won't cut the mustard for some of the island's unique habitats. Densely forested areas, cliff faces, and mangroves are just a few that present challenges in access but also in implementation. How does one effectively distribute devices in the dreaded mangroves for example?
"It's all problem-solving. It's about the most efficient way of finding a solution for a problem," says Phil, sounding remarkably like his silver screen counterpart. "I'm constantly looking at different angles, different subjects, and different materials."
He is perhaps the best man for the job as both design and conservation run through his veins. After 22 years of perfecting his skills in cabinet making, he left the industry to return to his boyhood home of Rotoroa Island as the island's manager. In the subsequent decade he learnt how valuable his trade skills were. He built everything on the isolated island from kitchens to rat traps albeit far away from the convenience of the local hardware store. It was also where his repurposing mastery hit new levels.
Phil is now based on Waiheke and when he's not out stoat-trapping in the island-wide eradication project, he's working on designs with Operations Manager Monica Valdes and building prototypes from his home workshop (which to no one's surprise, he also built himself).
"I really enjoy the process of designing, perfecting, and redesigning the traps," he says.
All prototypes go through rigorous testing until the balance between efficiency, durability and environmental responsibility is reached. Have a peek below at some of the custom designs that are currently being trialled for the rat eradication pilot project.
Mangrove bait stations
Purpose: For deployment in intertidal areas, must float but also be accessible from the mud.
Materials: Milk bottles, plywood, PVC pipe, brackets, hot glue, screws and a bait station.
Prototype number 3
There are a lot of elements to consider when making a rat friendly device in the intertidal mangrove habitat.
"Most importantly, it's got to last," says Phil. "It's got to be able to handle minor wave action and sit on the mud. There will also be suction off the mud as the tide lifts it every time and it might start pulling at the milk bottles."
"The good news is that anywhere in the mangroves is going to be relatively sheltered, they aren't going to be exposed to a lot of chop from the sea which would put a rocking motion into play. In a mangrove situation, it's just basically up and down. It will rotate with the tide, so it has to be able to spin and go up and down without binding on the bamboo anchor posts."
These prototypes are currently being tested in the mangrove habitat to make sure the design will stand the test of time. Luckily Phil already made ‘mangrove shoes’ for the team to make traversing the mangroves easier, see here.
Making sure the station is accessible to rats both in the water and sitting on the mud is crucial for the success of the design. Phil made the wooden base of the station mount into what he calls the 'sundeck', which allows rats a chance to clamber up onto the platform. He's also left the wood rough so they can freely get their claws in and pull themselves on.
"In keeping with repurposing where we can, we've used 3 litre milk bottles for floatation, the PVC pipes are old weka extruders previously used in the stoat eradication, and the ply is also upcycled.
"All we had to buy to make this was the screws and the clips to hold the PVC in place, which is a really great outcome."
Looks like the trial is going well for mangrove prototype number 3
The Corflute Trap Box
Purpose: A lightweight multipurpose device, can be used in trees and other hard-to-reach places.
Materials: Corflute, plywood, clips, staples, mesh, screws and a Victor Professional trap.
Prototype number 3
The attractive thing about the corflute design is their light weight. "You can carry a lot more in a backpack and they are great for hard-to-reach places," says Phil. The trap boxes are fitted with clips in the corners so they can be cable-tied and secured to trees and mangroves, but could potentially be pinned to the ground as a multipurpose trap too.
"They are a cheap, waterproof way of using a resource that's light and recycled. By using old real estate signs, we are repurposing something that has already had one life, and we are giving it another.
“I imagine it won't be the end of its life either, as we move to island-wide eradication it could be used a number of times."
The Original Wooden Trap Box
Purpose: Robust, heavy-duty commonly used device.
Materials: Fence palings, staples, mesh, nails and a Victor Professional trap.
Prototype number 2
Wooden trap boxes like these are a popular choice in Aotearoa, New Zealand, though they do come with limitations. The wooden design weighs around three times that of the corflute trap so it's not as versatile, but it is much stronger. We based this design on one used by Predator Free Mt Cook, and put our own spin on it, changing the door mechanism slightly to better access the trap inside.
"We've used fence palings as the treated timber will give it a longer life span," says Phil. "You don't need to worry so much about it getting damaged by things like weed eaters and such. Again, this will serve us well and chances are it will go on to be redeployed further into the future of the project."
This design will be available for purchase on the island in the near future for backyard trapping.
Keep up the great work Phil!