Proven to be successful
Published December 18, 2019 3:09PM
Letter
Re: Protesting planned use of 1080, December 16.
One of the protesters' placards reads 'Save the Raukumara', which is exactly what won't happen if the anti-1080 brigade get their way. Without the proposed extensive pest control project, the destruction of our unique indigenous flora and fauna by introduced pests will continue unabated.
Aerial 1080 operations have been proven over and over again to be successful in killing large numbers of pests, thus allowing native animals and plants the respite they need to recover from decades of predation and chomping.
Grant Vincent
Chair, Forest & Bird Gisborne/Tairawhiti branch
Without taking sides, if 1080 kills pests, would it not follow that it also kills native animals as well?
Footnote from Ed: “1080 is far less toxic to birds than mammals but some of our native birds including weka, robins, tomtits and kea are susceptible. Measures such as reducing the toxicity of bait, sowing less bait, and making bait less attractive to birds are all helping to significantly reduce the risk to native birds. The small number of individual birds lost is far outweighed by the population gains.”
Taken from: http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/methods-of-control/1080/faqs/