Quite a few people have approached me, anxious about the decision to dump 1080 in the Hunua Range. Certainly this disquiet is perpetrated by much misinformation, often by the media, or by certain politicians influenced by hunting lobbies. The truth is that there is consensus among scientists that aerial 1080 drops are the most effective management tools to control introduced predators over large areas. Little is made of the fact that the majority of aerial 1080 in New Zealand is actually done to limit the spread of bovine tuberculosis - of which possums are vectors of - a disease that otherwise would cost the economy an estimated half a billion dollars annually. Indeed, the Department of Conservation get the flack for 1080 despite being so chronically underfunded they can only manage 6% of their estate with it. Yes, we may do a great job up in the Hunua using ground-based control, which has resulted in an increase of kokako from one pair in 1994 to 60 pairs currently. The reality however, is that, despite working my ass off out there for the past 5 years, and the involvement of many other people, many of whom are volunteers, we can only manage 1/10th of the Range intensively, to the detriment of everything outside this area. Indeed, the native Hochstetters frog is ten times more abundant within predator controlled areas than outside of them. Ive spent much of the past two months surveying for kokako outside of the predator managed areas and the difference in native bird densities is both alarming and deeply saddening. I wonder if those who say theyve walked through silent forests following a 1080 drop took the time to walk through the forest prior to the drop. As for being the catchment for 60% of Aucklands drinking water, the reduction of introduced mammals will increase forest health, thereby improving water quality, not to mention improving carbon sequestration. The Ministry of Health sets the maximum allowable 1080 residue in a water sources as 2 parts per billion, and this has NEVER been breached following a 1080 drop. To put this in perspective, even at 2ppb youd need to drink 60,000 litres of water in one sitting to contaminate yourself, and your daily cup of tea contains 1080 at 5ppb. Educate yourselves people.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 07:24:50 +0000