A Taranaki industrial designer has created a lightweight pest trap designed to keep mustelids, rats and hedgehogs under control. Dubbed ‘The F-Bomb’, Nicholas Jones and his company Rewild are confident their design could become the go-to trap across the country for predator control.

“I helped a friend who did a bit of trapping work on Taranaki Maunga and the devices they were using were wooden boxes with a trap inside. The thing that really struck me was their difficulty to use, and the lack of any features to ensure the user could not be harmed while using the traps,” said Jones.

The designer’s new trap is predominantly plastic and less than half the weight of a DOC250 trap. Setting them requires pulling back the cover, adding bait and re-closing the lid. The spring-loaded trap can’t be activated when the lid is open, making it safe to use, Jones said.

Already the traps have been deployed by the East Taranaki Environment Collective in Purangi Forest and at Everett Park, Pātea.