The effectiveness of hair traps for surveying mammals: results of a study in sandstone caves in the Tasmanian southern midlands

We compared detection success of hair tubes and funnels with tape and Velcro adhesives as part of a small-scale mammal survey in sand-bottomed caves in the southern midlands of Tasmania. In order to detect small mammals entering traps but not leaving hair samples behind, a new type of funnel design was tested. In total, 19 species were detected throughout the survey period using a combination of hair traps and track and scat analysis. When tracks were observed inside funnel entrances no hairs were found on the adhesive tapes in 71% of cases. Hairs from several species were found in traps although there were no tracks of these species in the caves. These results further emphasise the importance of using multiple techniques when conducting general mammal surveys. Appropriate hair trap design is an important factor to be considered when conducting mammal surveys, as it has the potential to strongly influence survey efficiency and overall results.