Best bait for your buck: bait preference for camera trapping north Australian mammals

Abstract

Critical evaluations of bait attractiveness for camera trapping wildlife are scant even though use of the most attractive bait should improve detection of cryptic, threatened species. We aimed to determine the most attractive bait for camera trapping the northern hopping-mouse (Notomys aquilo) and sympatric mammals. We also tested the effectiveness of overhead camera trap orientation in identifying individual northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) as this could be used to define a camera trap event for analysis purposes. Using white-flash camera traps, the attractiveness of four baits (peanut butter with oats, corn, sesame oil and sunflower kernels) and a control were compared for N. aquilo, D. hallucatus, the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) and the agile wallaby (Notamacropus agilis). Spot patterns of D. hallucatus were compared to determine the visitation rate of individuals. Peanut butter– and sesame oil–based baits were significantly more attractive to D. hallucatus, while I. macrourus strongly preferred the peanut butter bait. Bait type did not affect the mean number of events for N. aquilo or N. agilis. The consistently identifiable images of individual D. hallucatus were used to determine the optimal event delineator of 15 min. The improved techniques for camera trapping D. hallucatus should be valuable for future capture–recapture studies of this species. Camera trapping is a viable replacement for the ineffective method of indexing the abundance of N. aquilo using indirect signs.