The victims
Kiwi
Kea
Kokako
Other native bird species
- Of 280 kiwi monitored (radio-tagged) through 1080 operations in the Tongariro Forest Park from 2007 to 2011, none were lost to 1080.
- Of the 280, 64 died, either through predation by stoats or ferrets, assumed predation, or misadventure. Click for full details
- Kiwi chick survival more than doubled in Tongariro Forest in 2006 after a dramatic reduction in pest numbers following a 1080 operation.
- Field trials have demonstrated that aerial 1080 operations are far more effective in protecting kiwi than the labour-intensive process of trapping and hand-rearing chicks that had previously been the main strategy to save kiwi.
Kea
- Since 2008, 145 kea have been monitored by DOC through ten 1080 operations, with 20 recorded deaths.
- Recent losses (Otira 2013) occurred during part of a research programme (pg.46 of link) testing various types of bird repellents. While the results were very disappointing, tracking work had shown that 60% of kea nests were attacked by predators, and benefits from 1080 pest control are considered to continue to outweigh the losses.
- Research to develop an effective repellent to prevent kea deaths is continuing.
Kokako
- The acutely threatened kokako was pushed to the brink of extinction by possums and rats.
- Without predator control, most female kokako are killed (pg.39) while sitting on the nest.
- Over 8 years, aerial 1080 effectively ‘rescued’ kokako, reducing predation to the point where 50% of nests (pg.38) were able to produce young.
Other native bird species
- Many other native bird species, including kiwi, tomtits, whio, kakariki and mohua have been protected and their populations increased following 1080 (pg.37, footnote 88) operations.
- Studies (p.32) have shown many species of native plants and trees show significantly better growth and survival after an aerial 1080 operation.
