OPOSSUMS AND OPOSSUM TRAPPING.

Forest and Bird, Issue 15, 1 July 1928, Page 20

OPOSSUMS AND OPOSSUM TRAPPING.

Apart from the depredations of these animals on birds, about which there can be no question, as an examination of the stomach contents will frequently show during the nesting season, there is the damage done to the forests by the trappers with axe and slasher, and the number of birds killed with the traps. Kiwis, wekas, and all forest living birds, including pigeons, fall frequent victims, and in many cases die a lingering death owing to the loss of one or both legs. The process of trapping so far as the opossum is concerned is surely cruel enough in itself, and can only have a lowering effect on those engaged in the pursuit. Trapping is now, however, going rapidly out of date, as no bona fide trapper can hope to compete with the poisoner, who can lay twice as many effective baits as the trapper can lay traps in the time available. Poisoning is, of course, quite illegal, but the method is certainly more humane, as it means a quick death in place of a lingering death to the opossum and but little if any harm appears to be done to bird life.

The usual method adopted by the poisoner is to mix two pounds of sugar with two pounds of flour at night-time, and add to this one teaspoonful of aniseed. In the morning the mixture is well shaken to further ensure intimate mixing and the poisoner sets forth with this and a flask or bottle of cyanide, which has been previously crushed to as fine a powder as possible with a hammer or other means. The opossum poisoner is guided by his bush sense in choosing likely spots to lay his baits, which are laid by taking a teaspoonful of the flour and sugar

mixture and placing this in a conical heap. The apex of this cone is then lightly pressed with the finger tip in order to form a depression for the reception of the cyanide. A small saltspoonful of poison is then placed in the depression, and the flour and sugar mixture drawn up from the sides of the cone-shaped mass to cover the cyanide and the bait is laid. The poison quickly becomes non-effective if wetted by rain or other means.

The poisoner usually lays a short line of traps for the edification of any chance ranger, but detection is rare and difficult, and the chance of being caught does not make the illegal getter of skins lose any sleepless nights, as rangers are few and far between. —(E. V. Sanderson.)