News

Massive high-tech pest control operation in Perth Valley declared a success

7/12/2019

South Westland's Perth Valley has seen a massive drop in predators thanks to the combined effort of aerial 1080 and ground control tools as part of the Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP) program.

"It's been really successful. We've gone down from thousands of possums to very few, we wiped out all but five rats and we've since found and killed four of those and the best news, zero stoats" Duncan Kay, ZIP Operations Director.

Read the full story here.

Dead rats, a mystery lab, and the very curious antics of the anti-1080 lobby

30/11/2019

The anti-1080 lobby last week released ‘lab tests’ purporting to find the poison in the vermin that washed up in Westport. But do their claims stand up to scrutiny. Dave Hansford investigates the claims and the evidence put forward.

Read it here on The Spinoff: https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/30-11-2019/the-great-westport-rat-mystery/

Questions raised over Westport rat 1080 results

27/11/2019

Results released over the weekend of independent testing of some of the carcasses found in Westport have done little to solve the mystery of what killed over 600 rats

Rat toxicology reports – Expert Reaction

26/11/2019

A report has emerged from an unnamed lab that claims to have detected 1080 in the dead rats collected on the West Coast.

OSPRI & deer hunters butt heads on 1080

21/11/2019

The NZ Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) has made incorrect and misleading claims on aerial possum control operations, claims OSPRI.

Funding for new technology will reduce the use of 1080, says NZ First

21/11/2019

Funding new high tech traps will reduce the need for 1080 poison, says New Zealand First.

On Thursday, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced $3.5 million has been invested in developing five new trapping devices.

No 1080 in rats found dead on North Beach - toxicology

20/11/2019

Toxicology shows no presence of 1080 in dead rats that washed up along with other animals on North Beach near Westport this month.

Exclusive: Government advised genetic technology could replace 1080

19/11/2019

The case is building for the Government to take a serious look at the role genetic technologies could play in New Zealand - even replacing the controversial use of 1080.

Stoat chick toll erasing tokoeka

9/11/2019

The fight to kill pests and save many of New Zealand’s most iconic species relies, in many cases, on the use of 1080 poison. Kerrie Waterworth reports on efforts to save the dwindling populations of Fiordland kiwi and the Department of Conservation’s most remote and ambitious aerial mainland 1080 poison bait drop so far.

Rare whio killed in 1080 pesticide drop on Mt Taranaki

6/11/2019

An aerial 1080 operation in Egmont National Park took a big toll on rat and possum numbers, results from monitoring stations showed.

But the June operation, carried out by the Department of Conservation, also caused the death of one of the 20 rare whio which are monitored in the national park.