Control of Eospalax baileyi (Plateau Zokor) with Arrow Traps in Western China

In order to manage Eospalax (Myospalax) baileyi (Plateau zokors) pests with physical method, the efficacy of four different arrow traps was tested to control the plateau zokor in Sichuan Northwest Prairie, China. Population densities of 39.7- 42.1 ha(-1) were found in the test plots. Such densities require control measures since pasture damages and economic losses are huge. Traps differed in trigger rates, from 83.8% (three-arrow type), 93.8% (infrared type), 93.9% (T-type), to 94.3% (one-arrow type). Capture rates ranged from 84.1 (three-arrow type), 91.8% (infrared type), 93.7% (T-type) to 93.8% (one-arrow type). The single-arrow trap has the highest efficacy and is also the cheapest, which is important knowledge for zokor control in western China.