Trap catch as a relative index of ferret (<i>Mustela furo</i>) abundance in a New Zealand pastoral habitat

Cross, Martin L.; Smale, A.; Bettany, Susan; Numata, Mihoko; Nelson, David H.; Keedwell, Rachel J.; Ragg, J. R.

doi:10.1080/03014223.1998.9518137

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…It remains unclear, therefore, whether the current data reflect an unusual year (there was a tropical cyclone in the study region in 2006) or not. The relatively small number of rodents sampled may have prevented accurate estimations of rodent abundance (Cross et al, 1998) and prevalence of leptospiral carriage. Estimates of the minimum sample size required, based on the model proposed by Cannon and Roe (1982) for a population of 100 individuals and an a-priori estimate of prevalence of 1%, with a reliability boundary of 5%, indicate that at least 14 rodents needed to be tested to determine a prevalence estimate with 95% confidence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia

Tulsiani

Cobbold

Graham

et al. 2011

Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology

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Although antileptospiral antibodies and leptospiral DNA have been detected in Australian fruit bats, the role of such bats as infectious hosts for the leptospires found in rodents and humans remains unconfirmed. A cohortdesign, replicated survey was recently conducted in Far North Queensland, Australia, to determine if the abundance and leptospiral status of rodents were affected by association with colonies of fruit bats (Pteropus conspicillatus spp.) via rodent contact with potentially infectious fruit-bat urine. In each of four study areas, a 'colony site' that included a fruit-bat colony and the land within 1500 m of the colony was compared with a 'control site' that held no fruit-bat colonies and was .2000 m from the nearest edge of the colony site. Rodents were surveyed, for a total of 2400 trap-nights, over six sampling sessions between September 2007 and September 2008. A low abundance of rodents but a high carriage of leptospires in the rodents present were found to be associated with proximity to a fruit-bat colony. For example, means of 0.4 and 2.3 fawn-footed melomys (Melomys cervinipes) were collected/100 trap-nights at sites with and without fruit-bat colonies, respectively (P,0.001), but the corresponding prevalences of leptospiral carriage were 100% and 3.6% (P,0.001). Such trends were consistent across all of the sampling sessions but not across all of the sampling sites.Leptospires were not isolated from fruit bats by culture, and the role of such bats in the transmission of leptospires to rodents cannot be confirmed. The data collected do, however, indicate the existence of a potential pathway for transmission of leptospires from fruit bats to rodents, via rodent contact with infectious fruit-bat urine. Fruit bats may possibly be involved in the ecology of leptospires (including emergent serovars), as disseminators of pathogens to rodent populations. Stringent quantitative risk analysis of the present and similar data, to explore their implications in terms of disease prevalence and wildlife population dynamics, is recommended.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia

Tulsiani

Cobbold

Graham

et al. 2011

Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology

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“…Indeed, carnivore abundance has been estimated in this way in several studies, e.g. the Eurasian badger (Rogers et al 1997), the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) (Corn and Conroy 1998), the feral ferret (Mustela furo) (Cross et al 1998), and the stoat (Mustela erminea) (Erlinge 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of methods to estimate the abundance of terrestrial carnivores using field signs and observation

Wilson¹,

Delahay²

2001

Wildl. Res.

256

206

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This paper reviews field methods for estimating and monitoring the abundance of terrestrial carnivores that do not involve capture. Effective methods of monitoring abundance are important tools for the management and conservation of many species. The development of methods for carnivores presents particular challenges, as they are often secretive and widely dispersed. Nevertheless, a variety of approaches based on direct observations and quantification of field signs have been employed. These techniques are described in relation to carnivore ecology and resource implications, and the advantages and deficiencies of each are discussed with reference to case studies. E s t i m a t i n g t h e a b u n d a n c e o f t e r r e s t r i a l c a r n i v o r e s G . J . W i l s o n a n d R . J . D e l a h a y W R 0 0 0 3 3 G a v i n J . W i l s o n a n d R i c h a r d J . D e l a h a y

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“…As well as protecting valued wildlife, trapping can also provide an index of relative abundance of predators, allowing comparisons of abundance through space and time. Although indices of abundance derived from trap catch rates may not always be accurate, some relative indices are clearly related to absolute abundance (Brennan et al 1993;Brown et al 1996;Cross et al 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative abundance of mammalian predators in the upper Waitaki Basin, South Island, New Zealand

Keedwell

Brown²

2001

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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An intensive predator trapping programme was implemented in the upper Waitaki Basin, New Zealand from October 1997 to January 1998. The aim of the programme was to prevent increased predation on vulnerable braided river fauna following decline in rabbits due to rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD). Fourteen sites were trapped using a standardised method, and trap catch results provided a relative index of predator abundance. In 101 650 trapnights, 1067 hedgehogs, 328 ferrets, 196 cats, 96 rats and 69 stoats were caught. Predator guilds varied among sites and guild composition tended to change through time; for example, stoat and rat catch rates increased. Cat and ferret catch rates increased in the last month of trapping, which suggested that juvenile dispersal and immigration by adult predators from surrounding areas were high. This study provides baseline information on predator abundance and predator guilds in the upper Waitaki Basin against which future trapping programmes can be compared, in order to assess changes in predator populations since the introduction of RHD.

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Trap catch as a relative index of ferret (Mustela furo) abundance in a New Zealand pastoral habitat

Cited by 20 publications

References 7 publications

The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia

The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia

A review of methods to estimate the abundance of terrestrial carnivores using field signs and observation

Relative abundance of mammalian predators in the upper Waitaki Basin, South Island, New Zealand

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