Use of Two Humane Leg-Hold Traps for Catching Pest Species.

Abstract

This technical note comments on the use of Victor 'Soft Catch' No. 3 traps and Treadle snare throwers, two leg-hold devices that have been developed to minimise injuries to captured animals. Both types of traps were evaluated during more than 1000 nights of use. The numbers of animals caught in each trap type, and the degree of injury sustained by the trapped animals were recorded. Both these traps were found to be humane alternatives to the steel-jawed trap currently in common use in Australia. However, the 'Victor' traps were the more convenient to use. They gave fewer technical problems, minimised injuries, caught more animals and allowed fewer escapes.