Conservation
Step-by-step guide - How to make a monitoring tunnel
Placing a monitoring tunnel or two in your backyard is a great way to find out what animals are around - be they unwanted pest species, or some of our wonderful New Zealand native wildlife.
To make your monitoring tunnel you will need:
- 2 plastic milk bottles
- Black polythene
- White paper
- A piece of sponge
- Food colouring
- Peanut butter
- A piece of wire that can be bent
1. Cut both ends off two plastic milk bottles, and slide one inside
the other to make your tunnel.
2. Wrap the tunnel in black polythene (leaving both ends open) to
create a dark tunnel.
3. Use the bottom of one of the milk bottles as a small tray. Place
a small piece of sponge (an old dishcloth is good) in the middle of
the tray and soak in food colouring. Then place some peanut butter
on the top of the sponge.
4. Cut a strip of white paper (same length as the tunnel) and place
inside the base of your tunnel
5. Move the tray with soaked sponge and peanut butter on it into
the middle of the tunnel.
6. Place the tunnel on a flat piece of ground. Shape a piece
of wire into a "U" shape to secure the tunnel to the ground.
7. Leave out overnight and check daily to see who's visiting
Examples of animals you might find
Pest species such as:
Rat
Stoat
Or NZ native species such as:
A forest gecko