We need your dataAn important aspect of becoming predator free is data collection. To ensure our coverage is effective we need to know where traps are located and what is being caught.
Don't worry we have made the process very quick and easy for you! Just fill in the form on this page. Your name and email address will remain private. Don't forget our Bait, Set and Check competition running from March - October 2025 where you can win prizes when you enter catch data. Even zero catches can enter! Unsure about what you have caught?Use this quick guide to identify what you have caught. For more details (and also examples of prints and droppings, check out the Pest Detective here.)
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Ship rat (Rattus rattus)
To check whether you have caught a ship rat, pull its tail alongside its body. If the tail is longer than the body, it is a ship rat. Also, it will have large ears that are big enough to cover its eyes. The ears are rounded and hairless and the tail is dark. |
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Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
To check whether you have caught a Norway rat, pull its tail alongside its body. If the tail is shorter than the body, it is a Norway Rat. Also, it will have small ears that are not big enough to cover its eyes. The ears are lightly haired compared to the ship rat and the tail is thick with a pale underside. |
Mustelids
Starting at the bottom; Weasels are the smallest of the three mustelid species at about 20cm in length. They have a deep brown to light tan coloured fur with a creamy underside. Their tails are short and uniform in colour. The stoat is the medium sized species 35-40cm in length. The fur on their backs is brown, the belly cream and they have a distinctive bushy tail with a dark tip. Ferrets are the largest of the mustelids in New Zealand, 50 – 55cm in length. Variable colouration, usually brown, black, white or mixed fur. |
Images courtesy of Department of Conservation.
