Waikato pests are more persistent than we thought

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-05-06 15:18

New Zealand

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Predatory mammals have been caught on cameras set up by researchers across the Waikato. Rats were papped in nearly every area, even places with previous pest control operations. The hidden cams also showed that a small forest fragment had a similar pest species makeup to a larger forest, confirming the capability of pests to reinvade cleared areas across open country. The researchers say their surveying shows pests are more widespread and harder to remove than commonly assumed, and that empty traps after a pest control operation doesn't necessarily mean it succeeded.