Philproof ® Tracking Tunnel for mice, rats and mustelids

Philproof Tracking Tunnel

Philproof Tracking Tunnel is a purpose-designed monitoring tool for detecting pest mammal activity in backyard, bush, farm, and conservation settings.

This lightweight, easy-to-use tunnel helps you identify where rodents, mustelids (like stoats), mice, and other small mammals are active — giving you crucial information before you deploy traps or assess the success of your pest control programme.

What Is a Tracking Tunnel?

A tracking tunnel is a low-impact monitoring device that encourages animals to walk through a protected tunnel where a paper or ink card placed inside records footprints as they pass. This allows you to see which pest species are present without trapping or killing animals, making it an ideal early detection and monitoring tool.

Tracking tunnels are widely used in New Zealand to gauge pest presence and behaviour — from backyards and lifestyle blocks to large-scale conservation areas — so you can tailor your pest control strategy with confidence.

How It Works

The Philproof Tracking Tunnel Short features a 60 mm entrance and a floor designed to hold tracking paper at either end with room in the middle for an ink tray or inked card.}

Predators and small pests are encouraged into the tunnel by a lure, typically peanut butter for rodents and red meat or eggs for mustelids. As animals walk through, they leave distinct tracks on the paper, which can be compared to reference guides to identify the species present.

Why Use a Tracking Tunnel?

Tracking tunnels are essential for understanding pest presence and activity levels, helping you to:

• Monitor pest activity before setting traps
• Assess the effectiveness of ongoing control efforts
• Record changes in pest numbers over time
• Inform your trapping decisions with data rather than guesswork

Unlike traps, tracking tunnels do not kill pests — they provide a snapshot of activity that helps you make smarter pest-management decisions.

Designed for Practical Use

This tunnel design includes overhangs to help protect paper from rain damage and a floor that accommodates your choice of tracking cards or ink pads. Because it’s weather-resistant and easy to set up, the Philproof Tracking Tunnel Short works well in open grass, bush edges, fence lines, and along known animal runs.

Place your tunnels no more than 50 m apart along a monitoring line for reliable coverage, and check them regularly to gather meaningful data.

Product Specifications

Entrance diameter: 60 mm

Length: 780 mm (tip to tip)

Paper/ink placement: Designed to hold tracking paper at both ends with a central ink tray or pad option }

Weather protection: Overhang design protects tracking cards from rain damage

Use with: Pre-inked tracking cards or inked paper (sold separately)

Recommended lure: Peanut butter for rodents; raw meat/eggs for mustelids

Tracking and footprint identification help you plan and evaluate pest control with confidence, making the Philproof Tracking Tunnel Short a must-have tool for monitoring pest mammals.