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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.
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Toxicology shows no presence of 1080 in dead rats that washed up along with other animals on North Beach near Westport this month.
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.
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.
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. Native bird populations could be completely wiped out in some areas hit by this year's mega mast.
It's set to be the biggest seeding event in more than 40 years, but half-a-million hectares of forest will receive no 1080 predator control. Orange-fronted parakeets will still get protection but some mohua populations miss out as DoC reduces the area of forest being covered by 1080 poison. David Williams reports.
Predator-killing aerial 1080 poison drops planned across the country will be shrunk by 100,000 hectares, and cost millions of dollars more, because of the severity of this year’s mega mast. The Department of Conservation says a recent 1080 drop in Fiordland was to curtail an exploding rat and stoat population.
The department dropped 1080 in the Arthur Cleddau area and Bowen catchment area on Tuesday. The rat population in a piece of pristine bush has exploded thanks to a plethora of beech tree seeds, forcing the Department of Conservation to make a 1080 drop.
But the glut of food means it can be difficult to get rats to eat the poison. The Department of Conservation is concerned after a higher percentage of rats than expected have survived the first 1080 drops intended to battle this years "mega mast".
This year's build-up of the rat population in New Zealand forests can be attributed to unusually high seed production, called a mast, experts have said. |
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