EFFECTS OF TRAPPING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2868, 7 April 1925, Page 3

EFFECTS OF TRAPPING.

* Many people declare that the trapping of rabbits is no effective method of cleaning up rabbity country, and can state their experience in New Zealand. Others, again, have faith in the value of trapping. It is interesting, thereiore, to learn what they think of the matter in the Commonwealth of Australia (writes “Agrieolu” in the Otago Witness); In Tasmania trapping is not looked upon with favoui by those in authority. The Adelaide Observer of a recent date contains the. views of Mr C. J. Craig, Chief Inspector of Rabbits in Western Australia. 'He gives some striking figures illustrating the well-known fact that the trapper confines his attention as much as he possibly can to the bucks, and leaves the does severely alone, thus encouraging breeding to the maximum. “Wherever,” it was stated, “the sexes of rabbits secured by trappers are investigated it is found that from 89 to 90 per cent, are males; conversely, where poisoning operations are eft'ecti\ely carried out on land that has recently been trapped the poisoned rabbits are nearly all does. Some years ago the Victorian Vermin Destruction Department took in hand the poisoning of Rabbits at Restdown Estate, near Rochester. The men employed in the work took possession of the ground just as some skilled trappers left it. The general verdict in the district was that the latter had left no rabbits behind them. Poison was laid, and in the presence of witnesses the departmental inspector gathered 2,996

rabbits, of which, on examination, only 22 were found to he males. Poisoning operations on recently trapped country at Allanbee led to the destruction of 995 adult rabbits, out of which 895 were females. In the early part- of this year, of 7,000 rabbits poisoned in the Caylesford district, 85 per cent, were females. Within a 10-mile radius of Lancelield Junction, in territory that had been heavily trapped, 100,000 rabbits were recently killed by poisoning, of which 85 per cent, were females.”