Figure 1 - uploaded by Shandra Nicole Frey
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Example of snare set used to capture red foxes on Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, 1999 to 2002.
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Box traps and foot-hold snares are common methods to live-capture study animals. However, these methods are frequently ineffective due to factors such as weather constraints, food availability, and target animal behavior. During a study of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) behavior, we examined the use of neck snares to live-trap study animals. We modifi ed...
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Context 1
... longer lead would have allowed a trapped fox to increase its momentum while fi ghting the snare, increasing possible damage to the animal's neck or abdomen. Additionally, we secured the snare to a 0.5-m stake driven into the ground to ensure that the animal would not be able to pull the stake out of the ground ( Figure 1). Upon arriving at the scene of a snared red fox, we quickly approached the fox and secured it using a loop pole. ...
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Citations
... A free-running snare is supposed to loosen when the animal stops pulling against it. The free-running mechanism is easily disrupted and prone to failure since any kink, twist, rusting, fraying, or entanglement of the wire in vegetation or branches may prevent the snare from being free-running (Frey et al. 2007;McNew et al. 2007;Murphy et al. 2009). A swivel may prevent this, but in practice a swivel placed near the anchor point of the snare can become jammed with vegetation and fail to work. ...
... A stop on the snare is set to prevent the wire loop from tightening to less than a certain diameter. However, there is variation in size of target animals and in non-target animals that are caught, sometimes by other parts of their bodies (Frey et al. 2007). Injuries can be particularly severe when the snare catches diagonally across from the shoulder to the axilla (Murphy et al. 2009). ...
All vertebrate animals, including wild mammals considered to be pests or food and fur resources, have the capacity to feel pain, fear, and to suffer in other ways. If they are to be trapped, the impact on their welfare should be assessed scientifically and traps should be evaluated using criteria comparable with those used for all other animal treatment. The term humane has been used for many years in science and law in relation to the management and killing of domestic animals, and should be used in the same way in relation to capturing and killing wild animals. Snares do not operate humanely, either as restraining or as killing traps as the pain, fear, mortality and morbidity of animals caught in snares is high. Animals left in snares are susceptible to thirst, hunger, further injury and attack by predators, especially if in the trap for many hours or days. The magnitude of poor welfare when animals are caught in snares varies but is always high in comparison with all other regulated killing. Snares are inherently indiscriminate and commonly catch non-target animals, including protected species, so can have negative effects on conservation efforts. The regulation and monitoring of the use of snares, including the methods used to kill animals that are alive after snaring, is probably impossible. Some methods of pest control and other capture and killing of animals have such extreme effects on the welfare of the animals that, regardless of the potential benefits, their use is never justified. The use of snares is in this category. The concepts of welfare and humane trapping Welfare, like all other biological terms, has the same meaning for human and non-human animals. The welfare of an individual is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment (Broom 1986, 1991), and this includes feelings and health. Welfare is a characteristic of an individual animal at a certain time. The state of the individual can be assessed so welfare will vary on a range from very good to very poor. Welfare concerns how well the individual fares, or goes through life, and quality of life means welfare, although normally referring to a period of more than a few days (Broom 2007, 2022). Non-human animals are sometimes killed to: 1) provide a human resource such as food, 2) prevent destruction of a resource by an animal that we might call a pest, 3) prevent spread of disease, 4) provide human entertainment, or 5) benefit the animal itself by preventing suffering. Where the killing is under human control, every person has an obligation to avoid causing pain, suffering or other poor welfare to the animal during the processes leading to death. We use the word humane for
... Data from elsewhere in the world highlight these problems. In America, of 21 foxes caught in snares fitted with a swivel and a stop to prevent the snare from closing to a diameter ≥10 -12 cm, the snares caused deep damage to the throats of 2 foxes, and another was found dead a month later (overall mortality 14%) [101] . Most of the moose caught in wolf snares either died at the capture site or subsequent to release [110,111] . ...
... Wild carnivores may be live-captured for a variety of purposes, i.e., conservation of endangered species, behavioural studies, removal from residential areas, pest control or surveillance of zoonotic diseases [1][2][3]. Live-capturing makes it possible to collect fresh material more than once from known individuals, install radio-collars or tags, and to follow the life history of particular animals [4][5][6]. ...
... Wild carnivores can be captured in foothold traps, leg snares, cage traps, or modified neck snares with safety stops [2,[6][7][8]. The use of these devices may be limited by the size or age of the animals, landscape characteristics, proximity to areas intensively used by people, and regulations at national or regional levels [7]. ...
... The use of these devices may be limited by the size or age of the animals, landscape characteristics, proximity to areas intensively used by people, and regulations at national or regional levels [7]. Cage/box traps and restraining snares have been identified as safe methods for trapping juvenile fox [4,6]. Utilization of snares with a safety stop has been shown to be a very efficient tool [6], however, use of this device is prohibited by law in some countries, including Poland. ...
Safe and efficient techniques for the live capture of carnivores are limited. In this study, we identified some of the factors that could affect the success of capturing red fox cubs with live capture traps (also known as cage traps). During a three-year period, we analysed 32 captures of 25 fox cubs (1.3 captures/fox). We assessed the impact of the following factors: sex of animals, month of trapping, weather conditions recorded for each trap-night, the willingness of cubs to explore and enter cage traps, the researchers’ activity around den complexes before trapping and distances to the nearest village or farm. The overall trap rate (32 captures, including recaptured cubs) and the trap rate for individual cubs (25 captures) was 11.2 cubs/100 trap-nights and 8.7/100 trap-nights, respectively. Animals other than foxes were captured only three times, thus the selectivity of the cage-trapping method was high (32/35 = 91.4%). The probability of capturing one cub per night was 70.2% (32 cubs/ 47 nights). Cubs inhabiting dens in the vicinity of human settlements were less likely to explore and enter traps. Vixens were more likely to relocate their litters if the activity of the staff setting the traps was intense at the trapping site. The success of trapping was higher during poor weather as, for example, during rain or thunderstorms. None of the trapped animals suffered any injuries. Whereas cage trapping can be an effective and safe capture method for juvenile foxes, capture efficiency is affected by the experience of the trappers and a range of other factors including weather and distance to human settlements.
... Alternatively, recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of selective trapping methods in some cases, when using specific models (Muñoz-Igualada et al. 2008 and when trappers receive proper training (Duarte et al. 2012). The use of trapping methods with adequate security devices can increase efficiency and selectivity, as well as help reduce mortality and injuries to target and non-target species (Frey et al. 2007;Duarte et al. 2012). The cost/benefit balance of this kind of selective control versus not performing control should improve management strategies. ...
Predator control has historically shaped management towards minimising predator pressure on sensitive species in most hunting and protected areas. Despite widespread use, few studies of medium-sized carnivores have evaluated such control. To fill this void, we studied the effect of control on shaping a carnivore community consisting of European badgers Meles meles Linnaeus, 1758, stone martens Martes foina Erxleben, 1777 and red foxes Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758, in the Serra de Montsant area (NE Spain), and we report the recovery dynamics for different habitats (forest, scrubland and cultivated land) over time (three years) when that control was halted. The results show that non-selective predator control is inadequate to reconcile the conservation of ecosystems with hunting. Specifically, it favours the frequency of occurrence of red foxes, which are the main consumer of small game species, and also reduces the frequency of occurrence of European badgers and stone martens, which are protected species. The recovery or regression sequence was observed over time in an area where there had previously been control, and was compared with the point of reference provided by an uncontrolled area. The results show the recovery of European badgers (135% over three years) and stone martens (285% over three years), and the regression of red foxes (-10% over three years) when control is halted. Monitoring the different habitats, European badgers recover first on cultivated land, then scrubland, and more slowly in forest. Stone martens recover first in forest, and then scrubland and cultivated land. In contrast, red foxes maintain their numbers in scrubland, and decline slightly in forest and on cultivated land. The observed preferences have been associated with the capacity to meet basic needs of food, protection and balance with competitors.
... We therefore recommend that traditional snares without stops should not be authorised. However, the use of snares with adequate security devices, can increase efficiency and selectivity of the culling method, as well as help reduce mortality and injuries to target and non-target species (Frey et al. 2007). We are, therefore, strongly in favour of the legal authorisation of improved snares for fox culling that should be deployed by trained personnel in specific localities and within set time periods. ...
We followed a red fox culling campaign that employed traditional cable snares to control numbers in a hunting estate in the Serranía de Ronda (Andalusia, southern Spain). We assessed abundance and presence of carnivore species within the area where fox culling took place by means of faecal counts within regularly walked paths. Twenty animals of four different taxa were snared during 238 nights in 36 locations. Through interviews with informed locals we established there were eight carnivore species present in the study area. Capture efficiency was 1.52 foxes per 1,000 trap-nights; the ISO-selectivity was 65% and the negative specific selectivity 50%. Despite daily checks of snares, there was a very high mortality (>80%) of target and non-target species. Moreover, a large proportion of the animals were caught by the neck. Our results suggest that this traditional method (snares without stops) of predator control should not be used.
... We therefore recommend that traditional snares without stops should not be authorised. However, the use of snares with adequate security devices, can increase efficiency and selectivity of the culling method, as well as help reduce mortality and injuries to target and non-target species (Frey et al. 2007). We are, therefore, strongly in favour of the legal authorisation of improved snares for fox culling that should be deployed by trained personnel in specific localities and within set time periods. ...
We followed a red fox culling campaign that employed traditional cable snares to control numbers in a hunting estate in the Serrania de Ronda (Andalusia, southern Spain). We assessed abundance and presence of carnivore species within the area where fox culling took place by means of faecal counts within regularly walked paths. Twenty animals of four different taxa were snared during 238 nights in 36 locations. Through interviews with informed locals we established there were eight carnivore species present in the study area. Capture efficiency was 1.52 foxes per 1,000 trap-nights; the ISO-selectivity was 65% and the negative specific selectivity 50%. Despite daily checks of snares, there was a very high mortality (>80%) of target and non-target species. Moreover, a large proportion of the animals were caught by the neck. Our results suggest that this traditional method (snares without stops) of predator control should not be used.
... Snares are usually set to catch the target animal around the foot or leg, or around the neck. During the 20th century, neck snares of steel cable became valued for their effectiveness in canid control and to catch canids for scientific purposes (Guthery andBeasom 1978, Boddicker 1982, Independent Working Group on Snares [IWGS] 2005, Frey et al. 2007). The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA 2009) gives a useful summary of snare hardware and use. ...
... Although humaneness testing in controlled captive conditions is commonplace for kill traps in several countries (e.g., USA, Canada), assessment in field conditions is much less routine for traps or other methods of wildlife control. Through this study and others (Guthery and Beasom 1978, Phillips 1996, Pruss et al. 2002, Frey et al. 2007, Etter and Belant 2011, Defra 2012, we now know a great deal about the field performance of neck snares and how this is influenced by operator skills. This should help to guide the use of restraining snares for canids. ...
Neck snares have been considered valuable for the control of canids and to catch canids for scientific purposes, but they have been criticized for perceived low target selectivity and poor animal-welfare. In 2006, we designed an experimental passive neck snare for live-capture of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), in which postcapture selectivity was addressed by means of a breakaway device and minimum loop size. In field trials during 2007–2009, performance was compared against snare types already in use (i.e., nonexperimental snares) by full-time game managers at 34 different sites in the United Kingdom (UK). Red fox, European badger (Meles meles), and brown hare (Lepus europaeus) made up 91% of 1,296 captures. Capture rate of red fox (n = 359) was similar in experimental and nonexperimental snares (6.6 captures/1,000 snare-days). The percentage of European badgers that escaped after capture was 39% (n = 76) in experimental and 14% (n = 36) in nonexperimental snares. The percentage of brown hares that escaped after capture was 33% (n = 384) in experimental snares compared with 18% (n = 311) in nonexperimental snares, but it was further improved to 68% (n = 192) in a second version of the experimental snare with increased minimum loop size. In experimental snares, 31% of captured badgers, 10% of captured brown hares, and 6% of captured foxes escaped by opening the breakaway device. The study showed that careful snare design can improve selectivity without sacrificing effectiveness. For restrained animals, however, condition was also strongly influenced by operating practices. Entanglement with nearby objects was the principal determinant of externally visible injury or death in restrained animals. Given a well-designed snare, entanglement can largely be avoided through choice of snare location as described in UK best practice guidelines
... Snares and cage-traps are usually authorized for fox capture (Federation of Fieldsports Associations of the European Union 1998). In spite of the widespread use of snares, there is a limited amount of scientific data about their effects on the welfare of target species or additional impacts on nontarget species (Shivik and Gruver 2002, Independent Working Group on Snares 2005); most published information is from captures for radiotagging studies and is not specifically for testing capture devices (Frey et al. 2007). ...
... Perhaps the addition of swivels and earth-anchoring devices could make SS more useful for capturing foxes (in terms of minimizing injury and nontarget species captures). Our results support previous assertions that well-designed, stopped cable restraints can be a useful method to capture foxes without exerting severe injuries (Broom 2000, Frey et al. 2007) although in some circumstances snares can cause severe injuries, even leading to the death of the animals (Independent Working Group on Snares 2005, Harris et al. 2006). ...
Capturing animals is an essential tool of wildlife management, but the use of capture devices is being affected by public pressures on an international scale. In Europe, and particularly Spain, foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are often captured using traditional methods such as nonlocking Spanish Snares (SS) set in an ad hoc fence line known as an alar, but these traditional European methods are rarely compared to modernly described restraints such as the Wisconsin Cable Restraint (WR). We evaluated rates of efficiency, selectivity, injury, and impacts to foxes and nontarget species when using SS (as traditionally set in an alar) or WR within alars or on trails in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. During 40,372 trap-nights from summer to winter of 2007, we captured 64 foxes, and 8 of 23 potential nontarget species. Our results indicated that WR set in trails were more efficient (0.28 capture rate) for capturing red foxes than SS set in an alar (0.11 capture rate). Relative to injury, foxes captured with the WR in the alar (95.4%), and WR in trails (90.5%), and the SS (90.9%) showed no indicators of poor welfare, and injury score analysis indicated that injuries were of similar magnitude for all capture devices. Overall, the WR set in trails may have performed the best, but all 3 methods are likely sufficient for capturing foxes with minimal injury, acceptable efficiency, and acceptable impact to foxes and sympatric nontarget species. Thus, wildlife managers in Spain and elsewhere can apply our findings to optimize capture and management of foxes.
... Wildlife researchers probably fi rst realized the value of snares in the early 1980s. Mason et al. (1983), Weaver et al. (1985), and Frey et al. (2007) describe the use of snares for research and suggested that snaring might be useful in studies necessitating live capture. ...
Wildlife managers, researchers, and nuisance-control operators often require a nonlethal means of capturing beavers (Castor canadensis). Historically, live-capture has relied on enclosure-type traps such as Bailey or Hancock traps. We describe the live-capture of 231 beavers using snares in southern Illinois from 2002 to 2005. Capture success averaged 5.4 beavers/100 trap-nights. Capture success did not differ between sexes (P = 0.57) or age-classes (P = 0.68). We captured most beavers in haul-out slide sets, surface run sets, or channel sets. Recaptures accounted for 28% (n = 65) of all captures. Mortality rate using snares was 10% and decreased annually during the study period. Snares are advantageous over enclosure-type traps because they have a high capture:cost ratio and are less heavy and cumbersome than traps. However, mortality rates are relatively high, limiting the utility of this technique for some research.
