Felixer grooming traps
Thylation have developed the Felixer, an automated Feral Cat Grooming Trap as a new tool of feral cat management. The unit uses an array of LiDAR beams to detect the shape and movement of a feral cat and sprays a lethal dose (8mg) of 1080 toxic gel onto the fur of the feral cat from up to four metres away. The feral cat instinctively grooms itself to remove the gel and in doing so ingests a lethal dose of the poison. The Felixer is capable of discharging 20 times (via 20 separate, measured dose cartridges) before the internal magazine needs to be reloaded with new cartridges.
The unit takes a photograph every time the detection beams are crossed, allowing managers to assess the efficacy of the trap in differentiating feral cats from non-target species and also allowing Felixers to be used as stand alone, solar powered camera traps. This new technology is being trialled Australia-wide, with more than 180 units deployed in different environments, with initial trials to demonstrate safety in each location with no cartridges in photo-only mode. Updates on performance and V3.2 AI-enabled Felixers are available on www.thylation.com.
- Very target specific
- Low maintenance once set up
- Potentially suitable for areas where baiting or firearms may not be appropriate
- Trials have demonstrated safety for humans, and a wide array of native species (See information on the Thylation website)
- Lease includes maintenance, software and hardware upgrades as applicable
- Photos are managed via a cloud based management system
- Relatively expensive initial outlay to prepay long-term Felixer lease
- Not currently applicable at a landscape scale
Felixers are available to lease via https://thylation.com/
- Animal ethics approval is required to use the units in toxic mode while Felixers are under a Research Permit with the APVMA (PER80926v9). Options for obtaining an Animal Ethics Approval include: collaboration with a university or DBCA, who can submit an application to their own Animal Ethics Committees, or independently via DPIRD’s Wildlife Animal Ethics Committee (contact [email protected] ).
- A six-week trial in photo-only mode (Animal ethics approval not required if no lures used) to demonstrate low risk to non-target species, submitted to DBCA.
- Training in the use and possession of 1080 is to be completed by all people who will be undertaking deployment, use and ongoing maintenance of the machines (i.e. anyone who opens a unit or holds a key to access toxic cartridges in storage), training is available online via DPIRD.
- 1080 risk assessment approved by DBCA on provision of the six-week non-toxic trial results. Contact [email protected] for a 1080 baiting application or more information.
- A certificate of training in the use of Felixer devices, available on the Thylation website. Confirmation of training completion is required on submitting the 1080 risk assessment, and before Thylation will authorise sale of cartridges.
- Department of Health (DoH) Research/Education Permit Application is required to possess and deploy 1080 for research purposes and the application must be submitted to DoH with the 1080 risk assessment and animal ethics approval attached.
(Information correct as at Jan 6, 2023)
These automated units provide a promising method for targeted feral cat control at specific localities. Situations where they are particularly appropriate include: high-value threatened species populations in limited areas (such as ground parrot populations), locations that have a predator “sink” (such as on the outside of predator exclosures) or “source” (such as minesite rubbish tips), in locations where cats travel through limited areas (such as peninsulas or islands), or where large number of non-target species prevent use of other techniques. The units have low maintenance requirements, which is particularly helpful in remote regions.
Find out more information here https://thylation.com/contact-us/ and for use and permitting information in Western Australia contact the Ecosystem Health Branch at DBCA [email protected]
Further Reading
Read more about Felixers in our Bibliography
Image credits on this page
John Read
