About Gotcha Traps

Gotcha Traps The worlds most cost-efficient and effective forest tracking and monitoring system. We aim to provide the best products on the market for small animal tracking and trapping. Widely at use in NZ, Gotcha Traps inked tracking cards and tracking tunnels are unprecedented on the worldwide market. We provide the best tracking system available for small animals and insects and freely supply information on how to read and document the tracks of each animal.

The Black Trakka™ was developed in NZ by Warren Agnew and is now patented in many countries. Approved as a standard operating procedure with NZ Dept of Conservation. The Black Trakka™ benefits include:

  1. LOW COST – lowest price in NZ and low cost to transport.
  2. LIGHTWEIGHT – over 100 can be carried in a backpack.
  3. EASY TO USE – Just fold and click to make the tube. Unfold the card and place in the tube.
  4. READY FOR USE – No work is required to make components.
  5. READILY AVAILABLE – Can be supplied to any mail delivery location in NZ.
  6. ALL-WEATHER USE – Not temperature-dependent.
  7. RECYCLABLE – Polypropylene is recyclable and has the number “5” as its resin identification code. Find out more about recycling #5 Polypropylene.
  8. CAN BE USED TO DETECT ALL PESTS AND/OR PROTECTED SPECIES – Rats, Ferrets, Weasels, Mice, Hedgehogs, Weta & Frogs.

What is the Black Trakka?

The Black Trakka is a monitoring system widely used within New Zealand. Developed by the Stoat Technical Advisory Group of the Department of Conservation, this system has provided a reliable source for tracking small animals and insects for over a decade.

Through cooperation with government agencies such as the Department of Conservation (DoC) as well as through home monitoring, we aim to assist in New Zealand’s predator-free campaign to fully eradicate all pests and predators by the year 2050. While it might seem like a daunting task, with the help of the Black Trakka, locating predators has never been so easy.

BLACK TRAKKA™ FOOD DYE DEVICES
1 Light weight Yes
100 in a back packer		 No
12 in a wheelbarrow
2 Ready to use Yes

 

 No – need to buy wood, tray, sponge, etc
3 Man hours for assembly $0 Best 2 hrs to make 10
4 Cost of additional parts $0 $12

estimate
5 Operate in adverse weather Yes No

Best at night
6 Ease of use in the field

 

 Very easy Difficult as need to make & fill ink trays.
7 Cleanliness of use

 

 No mess Ink and dye often stains users hands.
8 Hot weather conditions usefulness Months 1 night
9 Accuracy of animal track Generally very good Often poor
10 Minimum foot size detectable 0.5 mm Blurred when <1 mm
11 Ability to identify individual animals Very good Generally poor
12 Ability to identify insects Yes

Good for wetas.

 No

 

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