Comparison of Baits and Bait Stations for the Selective Control of Wild House Mice on Thevenard Island, Western Australia
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Natural Sciences
RAS ID
2
Abstract
Past studies to eradicate or control house mice (Mus domesticus) have rarely been designed to reduce the impact on non-target and native species of rodents. General poison-baiting on an island reserve off the Western Australian coast required management actions to control or eradicate house mice in the presence of a threatened native shorttailed mouse (Leggadina lakedownensis). Cafeteria-style trials were conducted to ascertain a preferred bait medium that could be used to deliver a poison for house mice. When presented with a choice, the results show that it was not possible to make the level of bait uptake differ between the two species of mouse by treating the parrot seed with agar or wax, with or without the addition of salt to the bait. Three bait stations were tested for their effectiveness at selectively capturing house mice, or for the selective delivery of bait, and two showed promising results. From a management perspective, the use of these bait stations to deliver a poison bait for the control of house mice offers the most practical strategy without undue impact on non-target, native mice.
Comments
Moro, D. (2002). Comparison of baits and bait stations for the selective control of wild house mice on Thevenard Island, Western Australia. Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species. IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, 213-218.