Don’t take your dog to pet-friendly campsites of the Kauaeranga Valley this Christmas.
They will be decidedly pet-unfriendly following a 1080 drop.
The Department of Conservation has confirmed the area is the site for a Tiakina Ngā Manu predator control operation that involves aerial 1080.
They will be decidedly pet-unfriendly following a 1080 drop.
The Department of Conservation has confirmed the area is the site for a Tiakina Ngā Manu predator control operation that involves aerial 1080.
This story was originally published on Stuff here
Tiakina Ngā Manu is a nationwide programme of work for DOC to protect at-risk native species.
“In southern Coromandel, we’re aiming to protect native forest from possum browse. Possums consume large amounts of native vegetation, impacting forest health,” Hauraki District operations manager Avi Holzapfel told Stuff.
“We implement a caution period for sites where we use 1080 – and in the case of the Kauaeranga that will last right through summer.
“We’ll monitor the area where we use the toxin, and we’ll lift the caution when we have evidence it is safe.”
The Department of Conservation intended to undertake the Tiakina Ngā Manu operation in August-September, but were delayed by the Covid-19 lockdown.
The weather is also a factor, Holzapfel said.
“We want to get the operation done before the native bird breeding season starts. Spring is traditionally when the birds are nesting and therefore at their most vulnerable.
“We waited until after the recent September/October school holidays to carry out this work.”
When using the online booking system for sites in the valley, customers will see an alert letting them know dogs are not allowed at campsites this coming summer.
There will also be signage around the valley asking people not to bring dogs into the area. The caution period is for eight months, Holzapfel said.
“Put simply, this is about ensuring dogs are kept away from sites where we’ve used 1080.
“Dogs are particularly sensitive to 1080, and by asking visitors to not bring dogs into the Kauaeranga area, we remove that risk.
“1080 can persist for some months in the carcasses of target pests. Dogs can be known to scavenge, and we want to ensure they’re not scavenging on possums and rats which have been the focus of our 1080 drop.”
Holzapfel told Stuff predator control using 1080 will not be carried out during the Christmas school holidays.
Tiakina Ngā Manu is a nationwide programme of work for DOC to protect at-risk native species.
“In southern Coromandel, we’re aiming to protect native forest from possum browse. Possums consume large amounts of native vegetation, impacting forest health,” Hauraki District operations manager Avi Holzapfel told Stuff.
“We implement a caution period for sites where we use 1080 – and in the case of the Kauaeranga that will last right through summer.
“We’ll monitor the area where we use the toxin, and we’ll lift the caution when we have evidence it is safe.”
The Department of Conservation intended to undertake the Tiakina Ngā Manu operation in August-September, but were delayed by the Covid-19 lockdown.
The weather is also a factor, Holzapfel said.
“We want to get the operation done before the native bird breeding season starts. Spring is traditionally when the birds are nesting and therefore at their most vulnerable.
“We waited until after the recent September/October school holidays to carry out this work.”
When using the online booking system for sites in the valley, customers will see an alert letting them know dogs are not allowed at campsites this coming summer.
There will also be signage around the valley asking people not to bring dogs into the area. The caution period is for eight months, Holzapfel said.
“Put simply, this is about ensuring dogs are kept away from sites where we’ve used 1080.
“Dogs are particularly sensitive to 1080, and by asking visitors to not bring dogs into the Kauaeranga area, we remove that risk.
“1080 can persist for some months in the carcasses of target pests. Dogs can be known to scavenge, and we want to ensure they’re not scavenging on possums and rats which have been the focus of our 1080 drop.”
Holzapfel told Stuff predator control using 1080 will not be carried out during the Christmas school holidays.
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