As Australians, we pride ourselves on our rich biodiversity and the unique wildlife that calls our country home. However, the safety of our beloved fauna is being compromised by a seemingly innocuous household item that has proven to be deadly. The recent ‘terrible’ discovery by a Sydney woman in her laundry room has reignited the debate over the use of glue traps, a pest control device that has already been banned in three states.
The incident unfolded when professional reptile handler Chris Williams was summoned to a home in Sydney’s west. The homeowner, struggling to communicate in English, had expected Williams to find a blue-tongue lizard in her laundry. Instead, he was met with a distressing sight: the iconic Australian reptile was helplessly stuck to a glue trap, alongside a deceased skink and various insects.
Glue traps, also known as glue boards, are designed to catch rodents by trapping them on a sticky surface. Unfortunately, these devices do not discriminate, often ensnaring non-target species, including native wildlife. The blue-tongue lizard found by Williams was in a state of high distress, and with temperatures soaring towards 40 degrees, immediate action was necessary. Williams managed to rescue the animal and used a special solution to free it from the adhesive.
This incident has amplified calls for a nationwide ban on glue traps. Currently, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory have outlawed these devices, but they remain legal in New South Wales and Queensland. The indiscriminate nature of glue traps has led to the capture and often death of various native species, including bats, kookaburras, magpies, and terrestrial mammals.
Despite the known dangers, major retailers like Bunnings have only partially removed glue traps from their shelves, and online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon continue to list them, with some sellers boasting significant sales. The homeowner involved in the recent incident even indicated her intention to keep using the traps for mice control, a stance that deeply concerns wildlife advocates like Williams.
Williams, the founder of Urban Reptile Removal, is no stranger to the perils of glue traps. He recalls his own regrettable experience using one a decade ago, which resulted in the unintended capture of a frog and a skink. The remorse he felt then has only strengthened his conviction that these traps should be completely banned and that government enforcement is necessary to prevent their sale.
The persistence of glue traps on the market, despite their illegality in some regions, underscores the need for more stringent regulation and public awareness. Their indiscriminate nature makes them a hazard not only to pests but also to the very wildlife we cherish.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this issue! Have you ever encountered glue traps in your home, or do you use alternative pest control methods that are more wildlife-friendly? Share your experiences with us in the comments below. Let’s discuss how we can protect our native species while still managing household pests effectively.
Also read: How to control rodents without harming native wildlife
