Boffa Miskell Ltd | Pest Animal Management Plan | Wharekirauponga Compensation Package | 30 May 2022 39 10.3.3 Timing and frequency Camera trapping along each line should occur four times each year, in February, May, August, and November. This information will help to determine pest presence and assist with determining where to focus control efforts (i.e. location of additional efforts). On each instance, cameras should be deployed for seven nights when fine weather is forecast. Seven nights is long enough to capture any target animals present in the area, will mean the lure does not need to be refreshed and limits time spent on image classification and analysis. In addition, camera traps will need to be deployed around the site at strategic locations in response to a predation event or predator sign of a mammalian predator to identify the location of the predator to focus control efforts. 10.3.4 Camera settings The key settings to consider when setting up a camera trapping network for cats or mustelids include: • Trigger speed (the time taken from when an animal is detected by the sensor until it is photographed); • Sensitivity (low, medium, or high amounts of movement required to trigger the camera); • Type of sensor (passive infrared (PIR) vs microwave); • Type of flash (white vs infrared); • Type of image recorded (still photograph vs video of specified duration); and • Interval (time between trigger events). A camera trap to detect mustelids and feral cats should be set to capture two rapid-fire still photographs per trigger event. Capturing two images improves the chance that an animal which triggers the camera is successfully caught and able to be identified to species level. Still images also do not require the same time-consuming analysis as video. The two photos are considered as one ‘capture’ if the animal appears in both images during analysis. Cameras should have a trigger speed of no more than 1.6 sec, medium to high sensitivity, use a PIR sensor and initially use cameras with an infrared flash. If images taken with a PIR sensor are unable to be identified, a white flash should then be considered, however, a white flash is more likely to frighten animals (Glen et al., 2013). These settings are typically able to detect and allow clear identification of the key species of interest, including cats, stoats and rats (Glen et al., 2013). 10.3.5 Types of camera traps recommended for use include Brownings Dark Ops Pro series or LTL Acorn 5210A (or similar). Camera deployment, orientation, and lure Each camera should be oriented so as to standardise the size of the detection zone, i.e. placing cameras at the same orientation and height (Glen et al., 2013). Cameras should be at about 1.5 m off the ground (about chest height) and angled at 45 degrees towards the ground (e.g. Fig. 3). Cameras need to be securely mounted to a firm structure, such as a tree trunk. Cameras can be attached to trees using a screw-in tree mount and/or straps. If no solid structure is available at the desired location, a waratah or strong wooden garden stake (2.5 x 2.5 x 1.5 m is suitable
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