n The non-profit organisation was founded in 1997 and is certified for environmental protection.
n The main missions include:
- representing the certified trappers in the Gironde department in their dealings with the administrative, professional and hunting authorities;
- managing and informing the certified trappers concerning regulations and safety;
- organising the capture of pests.
n Contact: Gérard Delas - gerard.delas@club-internet.fr
I ntervention site
n ADPAG represents the certified trappers (both professional and volunteer) that operate in the towns of the Gironde department.
n The association coordinates trapping by signing agreements with various entities (towns, intermunicipal associations, river boards, farmers, the Bordeaux urban area, the departmental council, etc.).
n Coypus have been trapped in the Gironde department since 1997. During the 2011-2012 season, certified trappers were active in 263 out of the 542 towns in the department.
n The traps are generally positioned near aquatic environments (rivers, wetlands), on the banks, in compliance with the applicable regulations (annual prefectoral order).
D isturbances and issues involved
nImpacts on the ecosystem
n The animals consume aquatic macrophytes and the roots and bark of shrubs on banks in the winter.
n They undermine banks by digging burrows and eating the shrubs on the banks.
nImpacts on health
n Coypus may transmit leptospirosis to humans and livestock.
nImpacts on agriculture
n The animals eat crops (wheat, maize, etc.).
I nterventions
n ADPAG coordinates trapping by the certified trappers in the Gironde department and draws up an annual report on coypu trapping on the basis of the data supplied by the trappers. Trapping activities are reported to the administrative authorities in each town.
n Trapping:
- operations are conducted throughout the year and the results are assessed at the end of June;
- cage traps with a single entry are used;
- bait consists of apples, carrots or maize;
- the traps have escape holes (5 x 5 cm) for European mink that must be open from April to the end of July when the traps are laid less than 200 metres from water bodies and wetlands in compliance with the prefectoral order;
- the traps are supplied by ADPAG;
- traps are checked daily in compliance with the applicable regulations.
n Capture data:
- data is compiled on the basis of the “capture-data sheets”
sent to trappers at the end of June;
- the sheets list the captures of pests such as coypus, indicating the number per town, species by species (pests and released other species).
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© ADPAG
1. Towns in the Gironde department where coypus are captured by certified trappers.
n The trapping effort is assessed on the basis of “trapping-pressure sheets”
indicating the number of trapping days and the number of traps laid in each town.
R esults and costs
nResults of the 2012-2013 season
n 1 118 capture-data sheets were submitted by trappers.
n 9 813 coypus were captured in 261 towns throughout the department (706 925 hectares).
n 357 certified trappers took part in the campaign.
n 28 coypus were caught on average by each trapper.
n 235 769 trap-days for the department as a whole.
nCosts
n The overall increase in trapped coypus was probably due to the greater number of trappers.
n Starting in 2009, there was a decrease in the total number of animals captured and in the number of coypus trapped per square kilometre.
n ADPAG decided to calculate the density of coypus per square kilometre because that would appear to correspond to the home range of the species.
n The operations since 2006 cost 50 000 euros for the equipment and 30 000 euros in bounties for the trappers (3 euros per animal) and operating costs.
n The main difficulty encountered concerned the theft of or damage to the traps.
© ADPAG
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Average number of coypus captured per square kilometre per town during the 2011-2012 season.
Total number of trap-days per town during the 2012-2013 season.
© ADPAG
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© ADPAG
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2. A coypu on a bank.
3. A coypu captured in a cage trap.
4. A cage trap for coypus with an opening for European mink.
Coypus trapped per town
Opening for European mink.
For more information
nADPAG internet site: http://www.adpag.fr/
nADPAG, avril 2012. Le ragondin en Gironde – Saison 2010/2011.
nADPAG, avril 2013. Le ragondin en Gironde – Saison 2011/2012.
nADPAG, mai 2013. Synthèse du piégeage en Gironde – Saison 2011/2012.
nADPAG, novembre 2013. Synthèse du piégeage en Gironde – Saison 2012/2013.
Total number of trappers from 2001 to 2013.
Annual number of coypus trapped from 2001 to 2013.
Number of towns in which at least one coypu was trapped from 2001 to 2013.
Average number of coypus trapped per square kilometre from 2007 to 2013.
I nformation on the project
n Mandatory upgrade courses on techniques, regulations and awareness raising are provided for certified trappers every five years in agricultural training schools.
n The annual trapping report is published on the ADPAG internet site with information on initial and upgrade training courses for trappers.
O utlook
n An effort is under way to determine the cause of the reduction in the coypu population (trapping pressure, weather conditions, etc.).
n A policy officer will be hired to encourage the pursuit of the trapping operations and to coordinate the volunteer trappers.
N ote on applicable regulations
n The species is considered a pest throughout continental France (ministerial decree dated 24 March 2014).
n The species is harmful to plants and must be controlled (ministerial decree dated 31 July 2000, modified by ministerial decree dated 25 August 2011).
n The conditions for the control of coypu and muskrat populations were set by decree dated 6 April 2007.
n Trapping conditions for animals declared as pests were set by decree dated 27 June 2009, modified by the decree dated 13 December 2011.
Author: Sandra Fernandez, Irstea
M am m al s
Originated in North America. Introduced in France in 1920 for the fur industry
D escription
n Semi-aquatic rodent weighing between 0.6 and 2 kilograms
n Dark brown, thick, waterproof fur, grey fur on the stomach
n A stocky body approximately 30 centimetres long
n A thin tail flattened vertically, approximately 20 cm long, with scaly skin
n Short snout, small eyes and short ears hidden under the fur
n The rear feet are not palmed, but the toes are covered with tufts of hairs
n Chisel-shaped incisors, yellow-orange in adults
n Two musk glands are located under the skin near the rectum
n Life expectancy is approximately 4 years in the natural environment
E cology and reproduction
n Habitats range from running to stagnant waters with high levels of aquatic vegetation
n The animals dig burrows into banks and build huts
n They are active primarily at dusk and during the night
n The species is essentially herbivorous, though it occasionally eats molluscs and crustaceans
n The females bear young 3 to 4 times per year with 3 to 7 young per litter
D ocumentation
n Sarat E. (coord.) 2012. Vertébrés exotiques envahissants du bassin de la Loire (hors poissons) : connaissances et expériences de gestion.
Office national de la chasse et de la faune sauvage, Plan Loire Grandeur Nature, 128 pp.
n Nepveu C. 2002. Les espèces animales et végétales susceptibles de proliférer dans les milieux aquatiques et subaquatiques - Fiches espèces animales (Les espèces exotiques). Agence de l'eau Artois-Picardie. 98 pp.
Author: Emilie Mazaubert, Irstea
M uskrat
(Ondatra zibethicus) Order
Family Genus Species
Classification Rodents Muridae Ondatra O. zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766)
© Sylvain Richier © Frédéric Fève© FDGDON 44
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© Sylvain Richier
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M uskrat
(Ondatra zibethicus)