Relative effectiveness of trapping and hand-capture for controlling invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina)

Muller, Benjamin J., and Schwarzkopf, Lin (2018) Relative effectiveness of trapping and hand-capture for controlling invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina). International Journal of Pest Management, 64 (2). pp. 185-192.

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Abstract

Management of invasive vertebrates is a crucial component of conservation. Management strategies should increase the chance of removal of every individual, by exploiting behavioural characteristics, and by increasing the period over which removal occurs. For example, traps can operate automatically over long periods, and often include attractants to increase captures. Management strategies for the invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina) in Australia include hand capture and trapping adult individuals (toads are attracted to an acoustic lure, and to insects attracted to a light, also on the lure). We used capture-mark-recapture analysis to compare the efficacy of trapping and hand capturing cane toads over 10 weeks, in Townsville, Australia. We trapped 7.1%–22.4% of the estimated population per week, and hand captured 1.7%–6% of the estimated population per week. Trapping was more efficient than hand capture in our regime; overall, more toads were caught per trapping man-hour than per hand-capture hour. Traps attract toads and maximise the period over which removal occurs; thus, the probability of removal for each toad was higher than by hand capture. Because hand capture and trapping seemed to remove different toads, a combination of these methods may work well.

Item ID: 49926
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1366-5863
Keywords: Rhinella marina; cane toad; trapping; acoustic lure; invasive; pest management
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Additional Information:

A version of this publication was included as Chapter 6 of the following PhD thesis: Muller, Benjamin John (2018) An examination of cane toad (Rhinella marina) behaviour: how can we use this knowledge to refine trapping regimes? PhD thesis, James Cook University, which is available Open Access in ResearchOnline@JCU. Please see the Related URLs for access.

Funders: Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants: ARC Linkage grant LP10020032
Date Deposited: 22 Aug 2017 05:39
FoR Codes: 31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310301 Behavioural ecology @ 100%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9604 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species > 960404 Control of Animal Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species in Forest and Woodlands Environments @ 100%
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