Effect of concentration of anal gland scent lures on the capture rate of ferrets (Mustela furo) in winter and spring

Abstract

We tested scent lures made from the anal gland secretions of male and female ferrets (Mustela furo L.) at 0.1–2% concentration in “Albert”, a solid, long‐life, casein‐based formulation, as attractants for feral ferrets in winter and spring. Live traps at 10 study sites in Canterbury and Otago lured with 2% female scent caught significantly more ferrets (1.00 per 100 corrected trap nights) than those lured with a fish‐based paste (0 per 100 CTN), and at least twice as many as those lured with male scent or lower concentrations of female scent. The traps lured with the 2% female scent caught both male and female ferrets in approximately equal numbers, at a time of year when it is sometimes difficult to capture females. Capture rates of female ferrets increased with increasing female scent lure concentration, but this response was not shown by male ferrets, nor was it shown by either sex to increases in concentration of male scent lures. The results of this study have confirmed the findings of previous studies about the potential of ferret anal gland secretions as lures for ferrets. Further research is needed, using radio‐telemetry, to determine what proportion of the ferret population is attracted to these lures compared with traditional rabbit meat lures, and whether this varies seasonally.