Trapping efficiency of common brushtail possums is affected by rainfall

Abstract

Determining factors that influence the trapping success of semi-arboreal species will inform wildlife management, improve capture rates, and enhance data reliability. We compared the capture success of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) across different rainfall levels using data collected over a 12-year period at a wildlife sanctuary in South Australia. We found that low rainfall in the 6 months prior to a cage trapping survey increased the average number of common brushtail possums trapped per night, likely due to the attraction of the high-calorie bait combined with increased movement of possums at ground level.