Assessment and preliminary development of the rotating-jaw Conibear 120 trap to effectively kill marten ( Martes americana )

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Proulx, Gilbert, Cook, Stephen R., Barrett, Morley W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1989
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Martes americana
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-149; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-149

Testing and development of the commercially available rotating-jaw Conibear 120 (C120) trap were conducted from January to June 1986 with wild marten (Martes americana) in simulated natural environments. Minimizing the pain and suffering of animals was a primary concern throughout the entire investigation. Through a series of approach tests involving traps wired in the set position, a pitch-fork style trigger was developed which enabled the trap to consistently strike animals in the head and neck region. The ability of the C120 to effectively kill marten was first assessed in preselection tests in which anaesthetized animals were placed in the trap in a position that duplicated the finding of the approach tests. Five out of six animals were rendered unconscious within 3 min. Thereafter, the ability of the C120 to effectively kill unanaesthetized marten was tested against that of a prototype, the C120 Mark IV, a more powerful modified version of the original model. The C120 failed to render unconscious at least five out of six unanaesthetized marten within 3 min and, by protocol, was rejected as an effective killing trap. The C120 Mark IV, with a metal bar welded on the top striking jaw, rendered five out of six marten unconscious within 3 min and qualified for further testing as a potentially effective trap to kill marten. Despite its wide use as a quick-kill trap, the C120 did not meet the performance criteria of this study. The mechanically upgraded C120 Mark IV outperformed the C120 but further improvements are needed to ensure consistently quick kills with marten.