The question, just how much collateral damage does 1080 poison do, could soon be answered through a peer-reviewed study commissioned by the Marlborough branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association.
To "inform the public debate", the Deerstalkers Association hired helicopters to methodically sweep 60,000 hectares of the country's largest high-country farm, Molesworth Station, counting the number of by-kill deer after the toxic poison drop.
Over a year later, the results of the survey together with a report by Lincoln University PHD student Kaylyn Pinney would be released to the public "within a month".
Pinney would not release any preliminary results, but said "many" deers had died on the station.
An association spokesman said Pinney, who was also the New Zealand Tahr Foundation Treasurer, had been kept busy opposing the Department of Conservation's decision to cull Tahr delaying the release of the study.
Deerstalkers Association Branch treasurer Wayne Smith said members had been concerned about the effect of 1080 on deer for many years, reporting large numbers killed in the operations.
He said using the poison on the high-country farm was like "using a sledgehammer to crack an acorn".
Last year, a second 1080 drop was "deferred" and Deerstalkers Association members believed the postponement was related to their deer head count.
The iconic high-country station was owned by the people of New Zealand and is a recreation reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.
Molesworth Station, was the target of OSPRI's TBfree 1080 poisoning campaign in 2017.
Over a year later, the results of the survey together with a report by Lincoln University PHD student Kaylyn Pinney would be released to the public "within a month".
Pinney would not release any preliminary results, but said "many" deers had died on the station.
An association spokesman said Pinney, who was also the New Zealand Tahr Foundation Treasurer, had been kept busy opposing the Department of Conservation's decision to cull Tahr delaying the release of the study.
Deerstalkers Association Branch treasurer Wayne Smith said members had been concerned about the effect of 1080 on deer for many years, reporting large numbers killed in the operations.
He said using the poison on the high-country farm was like "using a sledgehammer to crack an acorn".
Last year, a second 1080 drop was "deferred" and Deerstalkers Association members believed the postponement was related to their deer head count.
The iconic high-country station was owned by the people of New Zealand and is a recreation reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.
Molesworth Station, was the target of OSPRI's TBfree 1080 poisoning campaign in 2017.
RSS Feed
