Elements and Performance Criteria
- Prepare for trapping
- Identify purpose of animal capture and set objectives
- Confirm the location and extent of the pest problem
- Confirm target animal movement patterns and behaviour to determine trapping location and placement of equipment
- Identify non-target animals present in the area
- Estimate time required to complete trapping
- Identify and check vehicles, materials and equipment required for trapping
- Clean and maintain trapping equipment and prepare traps for trapping
- Identify hazards associated with trapping and select appropriate personal protective equipment
- Identify environmental risks associated with trapping animals
- Determine correct protocols or requirements for entering and working on private and public land
- Obtain relevant permissions and permits to enter property
- Identify necessary precautions for minimising trapping of non-target animals
- Tune, modify and prepare traps in working order to minimise non-target capture
- Place and set traps
- Undertake site surveillance prior to setting traps
- Identify and interpret signs of target animal
- Select and prepare trap site to maximise opportunity for trapping target animals
- Position, set and calibrate trapping equipment and check it for strength and security
- Apply lures, decoys or baits and toxins as required
- Camouflage traps as required
- Apply precautions to prevent trapping of non-target animals
- Check and remove traps
- Inspect traps at the required frequency
- Identify trapped animals then release, destroy or prepare for transport as required
- Handle captured animals humanely according to animal welfare Codes of Practice
- Transport animals from site, when required, in a safe and appropriate manner
- Observe work health and safety procedures and public safety requirements prior to and during trapping activities
- Release trap mechanism safely and remove trap
- Restore trap-site to its prior condition
- Record data
- Record details of trap sets and lures as well as target and non-target capture
- Report results of trapping activities, including any incidents with animals
- Report trapping results in relation to approved management plan
- Record trap locations and capture using Global Positioning System (GPS) device, approved software or maps, where required
- Clean and store equipment and material