Small mammal trapping
On the morning of a rather brisk and drizzly day in Norwich, the first year Ecology and Conservation students of UEA gathered to practice small mammal trapping and identification. The traps had been pre-laid the night before and some had promising signs. We collected the traps from the tangle of brambles and laid them out. The ones that had not been tripped were set aside and the ones with closed doors were assembled for opening. All 60 traps laid out, ready to be inspected. A close-up of a Longworth trap, showing the opening for the mammal to enter and the larger 'house' at the back. We used Longworth traps, consisting of a trapping mechanism and a 'house' where the mammal shelters and eats the food provided. When trapping mammals, the types of mammals that might be caught need to be considered, especially when providing them with the food needed to survive until the traps are collected. Mice are granivorous, meaning they mostly eat grains, so we provided a generous he...