Trap to tackle ‘tricky’ turtles on the loose
WHANGAREI: Biosecurity experts in Northland have come up with a device to deal with growing numbers of turtles in the wild.
It is called the Tricky Turtle Trap: an invention forged of swimming pool noodles, PVC piping and mesh.
Sightings of turtles in Northland waterways, especially redeared slider turtles, have increased, and they can do exten sive damage to native fish and plants, the Northland Regional Council says.
Some are escaped pets, others have been deliberately released.
‘‘Turtles are a very tricky pest to catch, given their ability to move in and out of waterways, and stay underwater for long periods,’’ council biosecurity manager Don McKenzie said in a statement.
Council staff have built a turtle trap based on a US design: a bait tower in the middle of the floating trap lures the turtles in but they have to climb over the mesh and an outer ring of pool noodles to reach it.
Once inside, the pipe surface is too smooth for them to climb out and the mesh stops them from diving under.
However, an actual wild turtle has yet to be corralled.
Mr McKenzie said turtles preyed on nestlings of ground birds, skinks, frogs and vegetation.
Four had been handed in to biosecurity staff over the past two years. ‘‘If they’re tame we try to find the owner and tell them to contain their turtle more securely, otherwise we try to rehome the animal. But if it’s obviously a feral turtle and there’s no home available, it will be euthanised,’’ he said.— RNZ