1080 usage in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is the largest user of biodegradable 1080 poison, using approximately 80 per cent of the world's supply. Biodegradable 1080 poison is the only toxin currently registered for use on mainland New Zealand as suitable for aerial targeting of the Common Brushtail Possum
Common Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
- a major conservation and agricultural pest
Pest
Pest may refer to:*Pest , an animal or plant detrimental to humans or human concerns*Pest, an archaic term for pestilence, originally the Black Death*Pest , an ice hockey player specialising in aggravating opponents...
. It has been used as such since the late 1950s.
Although the use of 1080 in New Zealand was deemed "effective and safe" by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in a 2011 re-evaluation and is widely considered to be the most effective tool currently available for controlling possums over large areas, it remains a contentious issue, with the majority of the debate occurring between conservationists and livestock farmers on one side and hunters and animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activists on the other. Concerns are also raised about security of potable water supplies in areas where 1080 is applied.
Sodium fluoroacetate is not currently manufactured in New Zealand, but imported in a raw form from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
How and why 1080 is used in New Zealand
The largest users of biodegradable 1080 in New Zealand are the Animal Health BoardAnimal Health Board (New Zealand)
The Animal Health Board commonly known by its acronym, AHB, is an incorporated society, legally responsible for managing and implementing the National Pest Management Strategy for bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand. Its powers derive from the Biosecurity Act 1993 and its mission is to eradicate...
and the Department of Conservation (DOC). It is also used on a smaller scale for pest control by Regional Councils and private landowners. The first trials were carried out in New Zealand in 1954, and by 1957 its use had become widespread. 1080 baits are used through ground based and aerial application. 1080 is considered to be suitable for use as a mammalian pest control in New Zealand because the country has only two native land mammals (bats).
The use of 1080 for controlling conservation pests
New Zealand's flora and fauna evolved for 80 million years with no browsing or predatory mammals at all, so they have developed no natural defence mechanisms against introduced animals like possumPossum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s, rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, mustelids and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
. Consequently, these exotic species have become ecological pests. The problem is magnified by the fact that New Zealand has an extremely high number of endemic species.
There are estimated to be around 30 million possums in New Zealand and they are found in 98 per cent of vegetated areas on mainland New Zealand.
When correctly applied, 1080 is very effective at controlling conservation pests. One aerial application can kill 98% of possums and more than 90% of rats in the targeted area. These successful knock-down rates provide vulnerable native birds with a crucial breeding window to raise chicks through to fledging, increasing their survival rate. The Department of Conservation uses aerially-applied 1080 poison across approximately 150,000 ha of conservation land each year. This equates to just over one quarter of public conservation land under active pest management and less than two per cent of the total conservation estate.
The use of 1080 for controlling agricultural pests
In New Zealand, the common brushtail possumCommon Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
is the main vector
Vector (dispersal)
In the biology of dispersal, a dispersal vector is "an agent transporting seeds or other dispersal units". Dispersal vectors may include biotic factors, such as animals, or abiotic factors, such as the wind....
for the spread of bovine tuberculosis
Mycobacterium bovis
Mycobacterium bovis is a slow-growing , aerobic bacterium and the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle...
(bovine TB) - a highly-contagious disease affecting farmed cattle and deer. The disease now endemic in possums across approximately 38 per cent of New Zealand (known as ‘vector risk areas’). In these areas, nearly 70 per cent of new herd infections can be traced back to possums or ferrets.
The organisation responsible for managing bovine TB in New Zealand - the Animal Health Board
Animal Health Board (New Zealand)
The Animal Health Board commonly known by its acronym, AHB, is an incorporated society, legally responsible for managing and implementing the National Pest Management Strategy for bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand. Its powers derive from the Biosecurity Act 1993 and its mission is to eradicate...
- uses 1080 poison as one of a range of pest control toxins to kill possums and control the spread of disease to both livestock and unaffected areas of the country. The aerial application of 1080 poison is only in places where ground control methods are impractical or unable to knock possum numbers down to a low enough level to break the disease cycle. In 2011, this was less than 10 percent of the total area receiving possum control.
Both aerial and ground-based application of 1080 poison is also used to control rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s - an introduced grazing pest. By 1960 it had become the main poison used in rabbit control. The combination of aerial spreading and the use of carrots poisoned with 1080 enabled rabbit boards (which were responsible for rabbit destruction work) to reduce rabbit numbers in most areas by the early 1960s.
The 1080 debate in New Zealand
The use of biodegradable 1080 poison in New Zealand has been the topic of a long-established and complex debate. In general, the majority of conservationists and livestock farmers support the continued use of 1080 for pest control while the hunting community, animal rights groups and anti-fluoride campaigners support a ban. There are, however, exceptions on both sides.Organised opposition is usually small-scale and localised to areas where aerial 1080 operations are carried out. Protest is generally peaceful, but there have been occasions where opponents have resorted to violence or sabotage.
In August 2007, the Environmental Risk Management Authority
Environmental Risk Management Authority
The Environmental Risk Management Authority is a New Zealand government agency which controls the introduction of hazardous substances and new organisms....
released its latest review of 1080 use. The review gave new guidelines for the use of the pesticide in New Zealand and concludes that the beneficial effects of pest eradication outweigh the risks. 1080 decomposes in warm water into harmless compounds, resulting in low persistence in a lab environment however, in the natural New Zealand environment its decomposition rates and persistence are unknown.
In June 2011 the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives for a five-year term under the Environment Act 1986...
(PCE) released a report in favour of 1080 to control possums, rats and stoats, especially in large and remote areas. It is seen as an effective poison for aerial spreading. The PCE came to a number of conclusions including not having a moratorium on 1080 use, and setting up a Game Animal Council.
New Zealand's four biggest political parties
Politics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
all support the continued use of 1080, although ACT and the Green Party
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
expressed the need for increased research into alternatives.
In June 2011, New Zealand's four largest daily newspapers all ran editorial pieces questioning the need for continued debate in light of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives for a five-year term under the Environment Act 1986...
's report.
Support for the use of 1080 in New Zealand
The following agencies, organisations and political parties support the use of 1080 in New Zealand:- The Animal Health BoardAnimal Health Board (New Zealand)The Animal Health Board commonly known by its acronym, AHB, is an incorporated society, legally responsible for managing and implementing the National Pest Management Strategy for bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand. Its powers derive from the Biosecurity Act 1993 and its mission is to eradicate...
, New Zealand's largest user of 1080 poison, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 to control the main TB vector - the Common Brushtail PossumCommon Brushtail PossumThe Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
. - The Department of Conservation, New Zealand's second largest user of 1080 poison, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 poison to control ecological pests.
- Forest & Bird, New Zealand's biggest conservation charity, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 poison to control ecological pests.
- Federated FarmersFederated FarmersFederated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated is an organisation in New Zealand which lobbies on behalf of its member farmers.It has a network of 24 provinces and seven industry groups. Federated Farmers provides a locally based, democratic organisation that lobbies on farming issues both...
, New Zealand's biggest farmers' advocacy organisation, strongly supports the continued use of 1080 to control agricultural pests. - The National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
, New Zealand's ruling party (as of 2011), welcomed the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on the use of 1080 as the most effective tool available for pest management in New Zealand. - The Labour Party, New Zealand's main opposition party (as of 2011), expressed strong support for the recommendations in the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report into 1080
- The Green PartyGreen Party of Aotearoa New ZealandThe Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
, New Zealand's main environmental party, welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's report as 'favourable', but remains committed to finding alternatives to the poison. - ACT, New Zealand's classical liberal party, does not support a ban on the use of 1080.
- Local Government New ZealandLocal Government New ZealandLocal Government New Zealand is the organisation that represents the national interests of all 85 councils of New Zealand. These include regional councils, unitary authorities, district councils and city councils....
, the organisation that represents the national interests of all 85 regional councils, unitary authorities, district councils and city councils of New Zealand, stated in a sumbmission to the 2007 ERMA reassessment tha "1080 is an important tool in New Zealand for pest animal control and Tb control, as well as helping to maintain and protect our unique native flora and fauna. - The Environmental Protection Authority (Te Mana Rauhī Taiao) Environmental Protection Authority (New Zealand)The Environmental Protection Authority is a government agency New Zealand. It takes over functions from various government departments from 1 July 2011....
concluded, in its 2007 reassessment of 1080, that the benefits of using it clearly outweighed the risks. - The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata), Parliamentary Commissioner for the EnvironmentThe Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives for a five-year term under the Environment Act 1986...
whose role it is to review and provide advice on environmental issues and the system of agencies and processes established by the Government to manage the environment concluded, in her 2011 report on the poison, that if we want to keep our forests for future generations we simply cannot afford to stop using 1080. - New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) recognises that, in the absence of effective alternatives, the continued use of 1080 as a means of pest control (possums and some other introduced species) is necessary to assist the eradication of bovine tuberculosis and the conservation of New Zealand’s unique native flora and fauna.
Opposition to the use of 1080 in New Zealand
The following organisations and political parties oppose the use of 1080 in New Zealand:- The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, which promotes the interests of hunters in New Zealand, have reiterated their national policy of opposing 1080 poisoning in the face of the Parliamentary Commission report advocating its increased use
- United Future supports fur recovery and trapping methods over aerial 1080 and labelled the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report on 1080 a “kick in the guts for many of our provincial communities”.
- The Kiwi Party said "the government funded science for 1080 was not credible as government owned the 1080 factory and government funded agencies spread the poison."
- SAFESAFESAFE as an acronym can refer to:* S.A.F.E , The underwater cable with fiber optic passing through Mauritius* Safe Affordable Fission Engine, a series of small experimental nuclear reactors designed by NASA...
, an anti-vivisectionVivisectionVivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
and animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
group considers the use of 1080 poisoning as the main weapon in the war against animals regarded as ‘pests' (as) an extremely cruel practice.
Neutral stance on the use of 1080 in New Zealand
The following organisations and political parties have a neutral stance on the use of 1080 poison in New Zealand:- The Māori PartyMaori PartyThe Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
welcomed the report on 1080 by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, As a result of the report, it has dropped a call to ban 1080. In the run up to the 2011 general election, its party line was that "(1080 is) all we have at the moment and it's really good for the things like the rats and the stoats" but says more research is needed". - The New Zealand SPCA regards 1080 "as the best of a gruesome bunch of toxins available for killing pests in remote areas" and consider that "while it is regarded as a necessity for the deer and dairy industry to control TB" they are "not convinced that sufficient restraint is being exercised in its use".
Alternatives to 1080 poison in New Zealand
Biodegradable 1080 poison is the only toxin currently registered for use on mainland New Zealand as suitable for aerial targeting of possums. While many research teams are actively seeking new and supplemental approaches to current technologies, no method has yet gained widespread acceptance as a viable alternative to 1080.Research
New Zealand currently spends at least $8 million annually on improving existing pest control technology and developing new methods.According to the EPA's Annual Report on the Aerial Use of 1080, as of October 2011 there are currently over 50 research projects underway industry-wide to find improvements in the use of 1080, alternatives to 1080 and other related topics.
Comparing 1080 poison with other pest control methods
In the Parliamentary Commissioner for the EnvironmentParliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives for a five-year term under the Environment Act 1986...
's June 2011 re-evaluation of 1080, nine questions were used for assessing the effectiveness and safety of 1080, as well as current and prospective alternatives
1. Can the method decrease populations of possums, rats and stoats?
2. Can the method increase populations of native species?
3. Can the method rapidly knock down irrupting populations of pests?
4. Can the method be used on a large scale in remote areas?
5: Is the method sufficiently cost-effective?
6. Does the method leave residues in the environment?
7. Can by-kill from the method be minimised?
8. Does the method endanger people?
9. Does the method kill humanely?
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's conclusion with regards to 1080 was that "It is not perfect, but given how controversial it remains, I for one expected that it would not be as effective and safe as it is".
The Parliamentary Commissioner reached the following conclusions regarding the possible alternatives to 1080 poison currently available in New Zealand.
PindonePindonePindone is an anticoagulant drug for agricultural use. It is commonly used as a rodenticide in the management of rat and rabbit populations.It is pharmacologically analogous to warfarin and inhibits the synthesis of Vitamin K-dependent clotting factors....
, diphacinone and coumatetralylCoumatetralylCoumatetralyl is an anticoagulant of the warfarin type. Symptoms of overexposure relate to failure of the blood clotting mechanism and include bleeding gums and failure of blood clotting after skin wounds. After one exposure the toxicity of coumatetralyl is relatively low, however if overexposure...
Pindone, diphacinone and coumatetralyl are the first generation anticoagulantAnticoagulant
An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation of blood. A group of pharmaceuticals called anticoagulants can be used in vivo as a medication for thrombotic disorders. Some anticoagulants are used in medical equipment, such as test tubes, blood transfusion bags, and renal dialysis...
s most commonly used for pest control. They are generally very effective at controlling rats to keep their numbers low but cannot effectively deal with sudden population surges. Anticoagulants break down very slowly in water and soil. They also accumulate
in the liver tissue of live animals that have been exposed to the poison (either by
eating bait or feeding on an animal that has eaten bait) and in carcasses. They are also the most inhumane of the poisons currently used. By-kill of native species is a significant risk from the use of first generation
anticoagulants. Different types of anticoagulants need to be rotated to avoid populations becoming bait-shy or building up resistance.
BrodifacoumBrodifacoumBrodifacoum is a highly lethal vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant poison. In recent years, it has become one of the world's most widely used pesticides...
Brodifacoum is a second generation anticoagulant. It is licensed for killing possums and rats. Like 1080, it will kill stoats that feed on poisoned animals. It has been successfully used in aerial operations to completely eradicate possumsand rats and stoats on several offshore islands and fenced ‘mainland islands’ that are now sanctuaries for endangered animals, however it is not currently registered in New Zealand for general aerial use on the mainland. Brodifacoum takes a very long time to break down in soil and water and accumulates in the tissue of exposed animals for years. Consequently, there is a very high risk of by-kill – it is known to have killed at least 21 species of native birds including kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
, kākā
Kaka
The New Zealand Kaka, also known as Kākā, is a New Zealand parrot endemic to the native forests of New Zealand.-Description:...
, kākāriki
Kakariki
The three species of Kākāriki or New Zealand parakeets are the most common species of parakeet in the genus Cyanoramphus, family Psittacidae. The birds' Māori name, which is the most commonly used, means "small parrot"....
and tūī
Tui
As a noun, Tui may refer to:* Tu'i , a title of nobility in Polynesia and some of Melanesia* Tui Awards, New Zealand's annual music industry awards* Tui , a brand of New Zealand beer produced by Tui Breweries...
. It is also widely considered a very inhumane toxin.
CyanideCyanideA cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
Cyanide has been used in New Zealand since the 1940s and is licensed for killing possums and wallabies. It is a highly lethal, broad-spectrum poison that depletes cells of energy, quickly resulting in respiratory arrest and death. Cyanide breaks down quickly and does not leave residues in the environment, but this means it does not kill stoats through secondary poisoning. Ground-laid cyanide has killed native species and other animals in the past (including kiwi, kea, weka, and bats)and it takes only a tiny amount of cyanide to kill a human. While there are antidotes to cyanide poisoning, their effectiveness is controversial and the rapid action of the poison limits the time in which they can be used. Its effectiveness varies because of bait shyness.CholecalciferolCholecalciferolCholecalciferol is a form of vitamin D, also called vitamin D3 or calciol.It is structurally similar to steroids such as testosterone, cholesterol, and cortisol .-Forms:Vitamin D3 has several forms:...
Cholecalciferol naturally occurs as Vitamin D3 in many foods including fish. It was developed as a poison to control rats and mice in the 1980s. It works by leaching calciumCalcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
from the bones of the poisoned animal into its bloodstream leading to organ failure. Cholecalciferol will reduce populations of possums and rats, but not stoats since it does not bioaccumulate in animals. It breaks down readily in the environment and the risk of by-kill is considered to be low. Cholecalciferol is more expensive to produce than 1080. Some promising results have been obtained by combining cholecalciferol with other substances such as aspirin to make it more cost-effective and faster acting. Cholecalciferol is very inhumane.
Para-aminopropiophenonePappPapp is a Hungarian surname. It can refer to:*Josef Papp, a Hungarian-American engineer accused of creating a hoax solo 13-hour trans-Atlantic submarine voyage*Joseph Papp, a theatrical producer for the Public Theater in lower Manhattan, New York City...
(PAPP)
PAPP was developed to control stoats, weaselWeasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
s, and feral cats, and registered for use in New Zealand in 2011. It kills by preventing red blood cells from carrying oxygen. PAPP kills stoats directly, but not possums and rats. It is approved for use in paste form or in fresh minced meat, so will only provide effective stoat control as part of intensive ground control. The risk of by-kill is likely to be low since it does not leave residues in the environment.
Microencapsulated zinc phosphide pasteZinc phosphideZinc phosphide is an inorganic chemical compound.- Reactions :Zinc phosphide can be prepared by the reaction of zinc with phosphorus:Zinc phosphide will react with water to produce phosphine and zinc hydroxide :-Rodenticide:...
Zinc phosphide has been widely used overseas for decades, predominantly to control rats and mice on agricultural land. It causes death by heart or respiratory failure. In August 2011, the New Zealand Environmental Protection AuthorityEnvironmental Protection Authority (New Zealand)
The Environmental Protection Authority is a government agency New Zealand. It takes over functions from various government departments from 1 July 2011....
approved the import and manufacture of microencapsulated zinc phosphide (MZP paste) as an alternative to 1080 for the ground control of possums. The application was made by Pest Tech Limited, with support from Connovation Ltd, Lincoln University and the Animal Health Board
Animal Health Board (New Zealand)
The Animal Health Board commonly known by its acronym, AHB, is an incorporated society, legally responsible for managing and implementing the National Pest Management Strategy for bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand. Its powers derive from the Biosecurity Act 1993 and its mission is to eradicate...
. It will be used as an additional vertebrate poison in certain situations. Unlike 1080, it cannot be used for aerial application.
Sodium nitriteSodium nitriteSodium nitrite is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaNO2. It is a white to slight yellowish crystalline powder that is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic...
Sodium nitrite is a naturally occurring substance commonly used as a meat preservative but toxic at higher doses. It kills in a similar way as PAPP, by reducing the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygenOxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
. Sodium nitrite is expected to be registered for use in for killing possums, but not rats. It will not control stoats because it will not knock down rat populations or bioaccumulate in poisoned animals. It does not leave residues in the environment and the risk of by-kill is expected to be low. It is much more humane than 1080.
Trapping
Ground operations of which trapping is an important component have been shown to help populations of native birds. Possums, rats and stoats can all be killed with traps. However, an intensive ground operation will typically involve trapping possums and stoats, but poisoning rats because there are so many more of them. In a mast event, populations of rodents rapidly increase as much as ten-fold, and traps simply cannot be deployed rapidly enough or in sufficient numbers to knock them down.Some terrain is too rugged or dangerous for trapping, and trapping is not practical on a large scale. In one day a single trapper can check traps on tens of hectares, whereas an aerial 1080 drop can cover tens of thousands of hectares. Once a trap has ‘snapped’ it will not catch another animal unless it is reset. Traps need to be checked and reset regularly, which makes them labour-intensive. Self-resetting traps, such as the Goodnature trap, are being developed and trialled and could in the future significantly reduce labour costs and increase the cost-effectiveness of ground control operations.
Twenty three species of native birds have been reported as having been killed by leg-hold traps, and many kiwi have suffered leg or beak damage. These traps are now required to be set up off the ground on conservation land where kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
or weka
Weka
The Weka or woodhen is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where four subspecies are recognized. Weka are sturdy brown birds, about the size of a chicken. As omnivores, they feed mainly on invertebrates and fruit...
live, and this has reduced by-kill from these traps to very low levels. Trapping can be a safe and effective method to control possums and stoats in forest edges, along rivers, and in intensively managed patches of forest, but it can only ever play a supplementary role on the great majority of the conservation estate.
Biological control
Biological control has been likened to the 'Holy GrailHoly Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
' of pest control by a number of sources,and was a major focus for research funding during the 1990s and 2000s in both New Zealand and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Most of the methods proposed involved some form of genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
, and if developed further would attract a great deal of public opposition. No biological control method has therefore yet gained widespread acceptance as a viable alternative to 1080.
See also
- Common Brushtail Possum in New Zealand
- Biodiversity of New ZealandBiodiversity of New ZealandThe biodiversity of New Zealand, a large Pacific archipelago, is one of the most unusual on Earth, due to its long isolation from other continental landmasses. Its affinities are derived from Gondwana, from which it separated 82 million years ago, New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island, both of which...
- Conservation in New ZealandConservation in New ZealandConservation in New Zealand has a history associated with both Māori and Europeans. Both groups of people caused a loss of species and both amended their behaviour after realising their effect on indigenous flora and fauna.-Protected areas:...
- Hunting in New ZealandHunting in New ZealandHunting is a recreational pursuit and a tourist activity in New Zealand with numerous books and magazines published on the topic.-Introduced species:Prior to human settlement New Zealand had no land based mammals other than bat species...
Further reading
- Federated Farmers busts the myths about 1080 poison – New Zealand Federated FarmersFederated FarmersFederated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated is an organisation in New Zealand which lobbies on behalf of its member farmers.It has a network of 24 provinces and seven industry groups. Federated Farmers provides a locally based, democratic organisation that lobbies on farming issues both...
- New Zealand Labour Party supports 1080 reassessment. June 2011 – Labour Party (New Zealand)New Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
- New Zealand National Party supports 1080 reassessment. June 2011 – National Party (New Zealand)New Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
- Māori Party reconsiders position after 1080 reassessment. June 2011 – Māori PartyMaori PartyThe Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
- New Zealand Green Party welcomes 1080 reassessment but remains committed to finding alternatives to the poison. June 2011 – Green Party (New Zealand)
- 1080 report "a kick in the guts" says United Future Party leader. June 2011 – The Press (New Zealand)The PressThe Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
- "We have no choice but to use 1080" – The Dominion PostThe Dominion Post (Wellington)The Dominion Post is a metropolitan broadsheet newspaper published in Wellington, New Zealand, owned by the Australian Fairfax group, owners of The Age, Melbourne, and The Sydney Morning Herald.- Foundation :...
editorial 9 June 2011
External links
- 1080 pest control at the Department of Conservation
- Exposure and Risk Assessment (1080) at ERMA New Zealand
- 1080 Information at the Animal Health Board
- 1080 at the NZ EPA
- Stop 1080 Poison
- 1080 information at Forest and Bird
- 1080:The Facts – a joint Federated FarmersFederated FarmersFederated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated is an organisation in New Zealand which lobbies on behalf of its member farmers.It has a network of 24 provinces and seven industry groups. Federated Farmers provides a locally based, democratic organisation that lobbies on farming issues both...
and Forest and Bird initiative - YouTube – playlist about 1080