Trapping Wild Animals.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 December 1913, Page 4

Trapping Wild Animals.

INGENIOUS DEVICES USED. In many different parts of the world there are •■ to-day natives who make a special duty of the art of snaring wild animals without causing the slightest injury-, to the creatures thus caught. Thus u particularly ingenious trap is frequently used to snare the most ferocious Bengal tiger, while the inost minute precautions are taken to prevent its skin from beingcut or scratched, for a "soiled" tiger is of but little use to a "show man."

The principle of the trap is much the same as that of an ordinary mousetrap,, only, of course, on a more elaborate scale. A great spare enclosure is constructed in a likely place in flie depths of the jungle, built out of thick, powerful logs, fastened Together as securely as possible with iron bands. At the far end of this:

"log cabin , ' is placed a looking glass, and the top, or iicl, is hooked kick and secured to a strong spring. In the course of time (he tiger, whose curiosity is invariably aroused by this curious structure,-approaches in the direction of the trap, and, much interested in his reflection in the

miiror after several visits to assure himself that "all is well," climbs inside to discover once and for all what this strange building in his jungle is. As, However, lie clambers over Ilie side and drops to the ground, the lid is released, with, the result that the .aninial cannot possibly make his escape until the lid is removed.

The besetting sin of the many monkeys which to-day amuse visitor to the Zoological Gardens hay ever been curiosity. And to curiosity the majority of the monkeys owe their captivity. Thus, in South America, the natives make use of this- novel method of snaring their prey. Here and there, In suitable places throughout the forests, are placed jars, which are attached by strong ropes to a post, while at tlie bottom of the jars are arranged nuts and other delicacies dear to the monkey's none-too-fastidious taste The neck of the bottle is just large enough to get his.hand in, unclasped, but once the nuts are clasped the animal is much too greedy to unclench, his fist, with the result that he remains a prisoner until released by the natives; who, as an official at the Zoological Gardens puts.it, "have a very busy time during the season."

There is no more difficult animal to trap than the hippopotamus, whose sense of smell is so keen that he invariably detects ;i hunter long before the latter is aware of the animal's presence. In. order, therefore, to 'capture the wary animal, the natives make use of clevely devised pits, the openings of which are covered with long thin poles concealed by a layer of earth sprinkled over with reeds. If, however, tlie pit is not concealed in a perfectly natural manner, the hippopoiaimif: invariably discerns that something is wrong.