Protecting taonga species through innovation

It is no secret that Aotearoa New Zealand has a reputation for being home to a diverse range of unique flora and fauna. It is also no secret that the introduction of mammalian predators and other pests threaten our native wildlife’s survival, which for many species increases the risk of extinction. As an isolated island nation, New Zealand is uniquely placed to limit this damage. By controlling biosecurity at our borders and using control methods within Aotearoa we can strive to reduce or potentially eliminate the negative impact that introduced pests have on our taonga species. Innovative technologies are being developed locally to control pest species, ranging from improved mechanical traps to high-tech species-specific traps using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

DOC trap inventor Phillip Waddington setting one of his traps in Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt. Image supplied by Phillip Waddington.

One of the most successful examples of homegrown pest control technology is the DOC series of pest traps developed by Phillip Waddington with the support and guidance of Ian MacFadden from Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation (DOC) in the early 2000s. These traps were developed in response to the need to create a pest trap that was more effective, more humane, and safer to use than traps on the market at the time.

Designing a Trap: An Iterative Process

Functional pest trap prototype developed by Phillip Waddington [2024.1.2]. Image supplied by Stuff Limited, all rights reserved.

During the 1990s DOC made public that they were having difficulties controlling stoat populations and were looking for alternative control methods. Existing Fenn traps were ineffective and inhumane, achieving only 1 in 10 humane kills in standardised testing by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. They were also difficult and dangerous to use. In response to DOC's callout, Waddington presented a homemade trap which consisted of a metal snap-trap with an integrated box/tunnel. A keen conservationist, Waddington had been building pest traps since his youth and built his early trap designs by hand from Number 8 wire and readily available materials. DOC liked the trap but were looking for a design that could be placed inside existing Fenn trap boxes. Waddington refined his trap design in response to DOC’s requirements. The resulting trap became known as the ‘Waddington Backcracker’ and a set of these were produced for field testing. Waddington utilised his connections through the Hutt City Council, where he was employed as a sculptor, to get welding and machining of metal components done on these test traps. The Waddington Backcracker was similar in style to a Swedish-made trap that DOC had been testing but had a different mechanism. While the Waddington trap was functional it didn’t meet humane standards. It achieved seven humane kills before failing on the eighth. The Swedish trap also didn’t achieve humane standards, was dangerous to set, and had problems with not firing under a light enough load.

The Waddington Backcracker [2024.1.3] Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

Waddington refined his trap design by inventing a unique trigger mechanism and increasing the number of strike bars on the jaw. These improvements ensured the trap would reliably fire and deliver a humane kill. Waddington also designed a simple safety clip out of Number 8 wire to allow for safer handling of the trap. Another development was the ability to secure the trap in the trap box and set in-situ rather than needing to carefully place the already set trap into the box. These developments greatly improved the safety of handling the traps. Thus, through trial and error and following an iterative design process a final trap design was produced.

DOC150 Trap [2024.1.5] Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

DOC Series Traps: Production and Release

The trap was effective, and DOC started to use it to replace MkVI Fenn traps used across the North Island. A smaller version was produced to replace the smaller MkIV Fenn traps used in the South Island. The naming of the traps came from these different sizes. A DOC200 fit into trap boxes that were 200mm across, and a DOC150 could fit into the smaller 150mm boxes. In testing however, the DOC200 failed to consistently humanely kill ferrets so a larger and more powerful trap was created, known as the DOC250.

DOC200 trap mounted in wooden trap box [2024.1.4] Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

Waddington did not file a patent for the trap design, choosing to leave the design open for use to benefit New Zealand conservation. He hoped that by gifting his intellectual property to New Zealand in this way that the technology could be made more accessible to people involved in trapping, such as farmers and community groups as well as DOC. He also wanted production of the traps to be kept within New Zealand to maintain control of the quality of the traps and ensure local employment. DOC were the initial custodians of the trap design and contracted Auckland-based company Curtis Springs to manufacture the traps. Peter Cruickshank, an engineer at Curtis Springs, helped refine the springs on the traps and invented the setting tool used to set the powerful DOC250 traps. Unfortunately, due to the lack of legal protections on the trap design, there have been several cases where the traps have been replicated and trimmed down, and production outsourced to factories overseas. The resulting lesser quality traps have then been sold in New Zealand, undercutting the original DOC traps and in one instance branded 'Waddington' despite being an unsanctioned copy. These copies were based on the original DOC200s which didn’t fire consistently, an issue that was carried over into the copies.

Curtis Springs eventually went out of business and was bought out by CMI Springs who now manufacture the DOC traps. Due to the change of ownership and personnel involved, the original gentleman's agreement between the company and Waddington was lost. This has resulted in some parts being manufactured overseas to be assembled back in New Zealand, going against Waddington's desire that the traps be entirely locally produced.

Into the Future

The DOC series traps have become ubiquitous in ecological pest control and are used throughout the country by DOC, volunteer organisations, and individuals. DOC traps are also exported and used by conservationists globally, including in the UK and Hawai'i.

Pest trap box deployed on Rangitoto Island in the Hauraki Gulf. Image by Jon Sullivan, 29 November 2013 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/11375688804). CC BY-NC 2.0

Since the development of the DOC series traps in the 2000s new initiatives such as Predator Free 2050 have set lofty goals to eradicate major pest threats from our ecosystems. As a result, demand for effective and efficient traps has only increased. Numerous New Zealand companies have emerged during this time producing new and innovative pest trap designs. Some use the DOC traps as a starting point to refine further, making traps that are lighter weight and timesaving in their simple operation. Others offer new innovative mechanisms, such as GoodNature, which uses a pneumatic piston driven by a small gas canister to dispatch an animal pest. Another step toward the future of trap design is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies. Critter Solutions is developing an AI powered trap that can detect the type of animal interacting with it through digital imaging. The trap will only fire on a positively identified target species. This is particularly beneficial in areas where curious native species such as kea and weka are known to interact with traps and human-made items. These smart traps allow easy access for pest species but are safe for native species and humans to be around.

The countdown is on to achieving the Government’s goal of a predator free nation by 2050. It is clear we need every tool in the shed to get us over the line. Whether that be a DOC200 or an AI controlled trap, every little bit makes a difference.

Story by Callan Bird, Curator – Technology (MOTAT).

Story edited by Nicola Jennings, Senior Curator – Technology (MOTAT).

Thank you to Phillip Waddington for donating examples of his work to MOTAT and for supplying information for this article.

Published August 2024

Sources

CMI Springs & Department of Conservation. (n.d.) Predator traps: Doc series trapping systems. https://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animal-pests/doc200-predator-trap.pdf

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. (2024) DOC traps. https://www.gwct.org.uk/game/research/predation-control/tunnel-traps/doc-traps

Guthrie, K. (2018, April 24). Phill Waddington - Wildlife artist and DOC series trap inventor. Predator Free New Zealand. https://predatorfreenz.org/stories/phill-waddington-wildlife-artist-and-doc-series-trap-inventor

New Zealand Herald. (2003, April 9) Trap maker sought by conservation department. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/trap-maker-sought-by-conservation-department/GS7F7SHET2PTK5XAUUALKCSFNA

Poutu, N. & Warburton, B. (2003). Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Waddington backcracker trap for killing stoats (DOC Science Internal Series 123). New Zealand Department of Conservation. https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/dsis132.pdf

Predator Free New Zealand. (n.d.). DOC 150/200/250 traps. https://predatorfreenz.org/toolkits/trapping-baiting-toolkit/trap-bait-and-equipment-tips/how-to-choose-the-right-trap/doc-150-200-250-traps

Waddington, P. (2019). Phillip Waddington. www.phillipwaddington.nz