Thomas, B.; R. Taylor, P. Dunlevy, K. Mouritsen, and J. Kemp. The Ka Mate reverse-bait snap trap – a promising new development The Ka Mate reverse-bait snap trap – a promising new development B. Thomas¹, R. Taylor², P. Dunlevy³, K. Mouritsen4, and J. Kemp5 ¹Ka Mate Traps Ltd, 190 Collingwood St., Nelson 7010, New Zealand. <
[email protected]>. ²13 Templemore Drive, Richmond 7020, New Zealand. ³USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services, 3375 Koapaka Street, Honolulu, HI 96819, USA. 4 Waiaro Sanctuary, P.O. Box 6, Colville 3584, New Zealand. 5 Department of Conservation, Private Bag 5, Nelson 7042, New Zealand. Abstract Development, field trials and potential of Ka Mate reverse-bait snap trap are described. Prototypes were tested on five species of rodents in a range of environments in New Zealand, Alaska, Hawaii, Wake Atoll, Wallis & Futuna Islands, New Caledonia and Seychelles. Paired testing of reverse-bait traps in close proximity to treadle traps was found to be inappropriate because trap function combined with animal behaviour skewed results. The first factory product, the Ka Mate medium “safeTcatch” trap, the corflute “flatpack” trap station and various wax baits are now under evaluation by professional conservation and science practitioners worldwide. One example is Waiaro Sanctuary (Coromandel, New Zealand) where in one year, using only Ka Mate rat traps, 75 ha of forest yielded 656 rats, reducing population indices from 100% tracking tunnel rates to 10%. Data indicates that over 95% of rats were trapped with head/neck strikes, and only one bird was caught in Waiaro in circa 90,000 trap nights using Ka Mate traps set unprotected on the forest floor.