Itâs hard to miss the recent groundswell of support for the elimination of 1080, a toxin used for pest control which is dropped by helicopter in areas which are inaccessible by foot. This makes traditional pest control (such as trapping) impossible. And that is the crux of the issue; when it comes to saving our native wildlife in areas we canât reach, do we have any other option?
The science would say not. And itâs difficult to argue against a scientific agreement. That wonât stop people from trying, and there are a few common misconceptions.
One is the indiscriminate nature of baits. The baits themselves have improved greatly, with different colours, shapes and scents being used to target the pests. They are dropped using GPS mapping in small quantities, and often followed up with physical markers. The very nature of an aerial drop means that it may not be as accurate as a precision strike, but what we have is pretty damn close.
Another is unintentional deaths. While there are deaths of domestic animals, those numbers are historically low. This is because the Department of Conservation (DoC) has a thorough process to make communities and landowners are aware of nearby drops to advise owners to take precautions, especially for dogs that easily manage to roam freely and are highly susceptible to the toxin.
One of the best resources for this is an independent report from the Commissioner for the Environment which acknowledges the by-kill, calculated the benefit and concluded it is an effective pest-control. It is now estimated that around 25 million native bird eggs are eaten by pests; imagine how worse it would be if we took away the only tool we had to fight them in remote areas?
However the claims of by-kill are often visceral â and with the quick use of social media and heart-wrenching videos, claims of 1080 put to the public before anything is verified. The number of assumptions that 1080 is the cause of death is quite high, but upon testing it is often proven false. Much of the initial claims are found to be from household poisons, or something entirely unrelated. But by then the proverbial has hit the fan.
Another concern is poisoning the water. 1080 does not bio-accumulate. Itâs that simple. Fluoroacetate (the active ingredient in 1080) is a plant-based toxin that naturally breaks down, is found in tea and has been a natural defence mechanism for plants such as the Puha. Years of research, from groups like NIWA and Landcare, have shown that there is little to no residue found in water after a 1080 drop. Of the trace amounts that were found, it was the equivalent to or lower than that which is found naturally.
The Ministry of Primary Industries found that humans have an âextremely low riskâ of poisoning even if a person has eaten a trout with the âpeak levelâ amounts of 1080, which falls well short of internationally accepted standards of human health. There is no danger to marine life either, and many of these tests were done in dosages 10x the amount that would ever be used.
Sadly, much of the substance of the anger at 1080 seems to draw from the anti-establishment well. This is what saddens me the most; that despite all the evidence of 1080 being effective it is quickly dismissed because there is some relation to a crown entity or state department. Even the independent charities, such as Forest and Bird, are dismissed as being too cosy with government. While there are obvious and understandable reasons people may be sceptical of government and even science; but pest control is not a profitable industry. There is no financial motive, or any discernible motive that comes from the use of 1080. So why would we continue to use it? Because itâs proven to work.
Perhaps this is the fermentation cycle of the anti-establishment and âfake newsâ movement spreading to our shores â those distrusting of all authority have found a haven in the anti-1080 movement. It certainly seems that way, as there seems to be little verified evidence (and even less compelling) which creates a case against 1080. DoC has been forced to create a dedicated site to debunk the massive amounts of misleading videos, photos and statements about 1080.
There are legitimate concerns around the dropping of 1080. The rights of tangata whenua and land ownership are some which have been discussed. But the concerns about 1080 as a poison is driven by emotion, with little credible science. The evidence (overseas and independent included) is overwhelmingly supportive of 1080 as an affective pest control. The scientific method is an open call for data to be challenged, and there has been no robust response to critique the effectiveness of 1080.
Fundamentally, this is about trust. All of our dedicated conservation groups are supportive of 1080 as the only way to effectively protect out native wildlife in remote, inaccessible areas. These are not cold-hearted government machines, they are thousands of passionate, well-meaning people and experts in their field who have studied and worked in this subject for their entire lives. I consider their work thorough and reliable. Iâm surprised there are people who do not.
Damon Rusden is a chef, journalist and law student with an avid belief in civic education and accountability. He was also a Green Party candidate.Â
Kea
Kea.
DoC is as unhappy as anyone else about kea mortality following drops, & there is ongoing research into making the baits less attractive to a novelty-loving species.
However: “Aerial 1080 improved the odds of daily nest survival by a factor of 9.1 at the treatment site. Nest survival rates in the Control and Impact sites, before the application of 1080, were 21% and 46.4%, respectively. After the application of 1080 to the Impact site, nest survival increased to 84.8% in this site, whereas it declined to 12.2% in the untreated Control site.” (https://newzealandecology.org/nzje/3341.pdf)
What is remarkable about that study is the complete omission of the monitored adult kea that died to 1080 poisoning (yes it really happened) 7 of the 38 birds monitored for the study died to 1080 poison, they were from North Okarito and were 7 of the 9 from that area.
Where is their nesting data? Where are they mentioned in the discussion of risk vs benefit?
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/seven-keas-dead-wake-1080-work
Kemp et al took 6 years to spin this study. More detail follows on your blog post below Allison.
You can clearly see now how the occupation forces platform repeater shill trolls like the guise you see around here and continually repeat their Goebbels style iron fisted spam.
I think Martyn is making a point by putting up a bunch of posts of lazy cut and paste â1080 good because crazy antis wrongâ stuff.
We know (or should) that what the anti fringe claim is not all factual.
None of the authors so far tho, have actually drilled down in the science of what is being killed or even answered question on specifics.
Bykill is brushed over as just emotive hunters?
If I was feeling uncharitable Iâd call todayâs 1080 post PR spun garbage we could get from the DoC website.
George Orwell was vastly amused at the prevalence of ‘fads’ among the left. As so lifting your head above the sky-scape of the establishment exposed you to every wisp and vagary once you were freed from popular reality. My Socialist ancestor was dead serious about phrenology and indeed there was a history of the first 50 years of NZ published in the 1890s based on the shape of the heads of prominent NZers.
Of course I look forward to this popular anti-1080 cause proving itself.
and yet you provide no evidence of the evils of 1080 yourself….
It isnât all âevilâ (your emotive language). Neither would I like to see it banned outright. Iâm not an âantiâ, but I am anti propaganda. 1080 by air is a very imprecise tool for widespread use.
Iâve given an example of harm to kea above and more detail in Dr Allisonâs 1080 post yesterday.
Once you leave science you leave sense and can’t expect to be taken seriously by anyone outside your religion. But don’t worry, we no longer amount, we rationalists. Solipsism is the new ‘reality’. Christ help us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRmlBU6exI8
âis dropped by helicopter in areas which are inaccessible by foot.â
1080 is not being dropped ONLY in areas inaccessible by foot â I support use of 1080 in that situation.
Look on http://www.ecoland.co.nz at a trap and trapping system that in accessible areas challenges a 1080 drop for long term effectiveness and economy.
âis dropped by helicopter in areas which are inaccessible by foot.â
1080 is not being dropped ONLY in areas inaccessible by foot â I support use of 1080 in that situation.
Look on http://www.ecoland.co.nz at a trap and trapping system that in accessible areas challenges a 1080 drop for long term effectiveness and economy.
Wrong here Damon,
Unlike you, I am a true Green advocate and why am I better qualified than you?
I have been involved in chemical toxicity study at three universities in Canada/US and NZ now and toxicity of many chemicals in our environment is now appearing as a very large threat to life of all animal life today.
It is the building up of the combination of all synthetic chemicals spayed and dropped around our land and into our watershed systems that is becoming a very toxic soup that will finally destroy us all and all animals we are trying to save.
The NZ water forum conference being today is now warning us that our
water quality has degraded severely now so adding yet more chemicals to the water we rely on for sustaining life is foolish indeed.
As a past green party member i am shocked that you as a green party candidate would condone yet using more toxic chemicals on our land has shocked me.
I was brought up in HB and remember several of my friends were hired by the current Walter Nash Labour Government in the early 1960’s to trap vermin then!!!!
These friends went high into the mountains everywhere to trap vermin, and no where was “inaccessible” as you claim, so we can use people here not chemicals thank, both to give jobs to the unemployed and others seeking outdoor jobs rather than further poisoning our lives and country thanks.
“It is the building up of the combination of all synthetic chemicals spayed and dropped around our land and into our watershed systems that is becoming a very toxic soup that will finally destroy us all and all animals we are trying to save.”
How do you equate 1080 as part of this equation when it’s completely undetectable after a modest amount of rainfall?
60,000 litres of the stuff would have to be drunk before any of it would affect you.
Maybe not in the north island there is no inaccessible land but there sure as hell is in the southern alps where most of the 1080 is used.
The hardest parts in eradicating campaigns like this one generally are bureaucratic and legislative procedures, various organizational efforts and dealing with animal rights enthusiasts who defend ferals.
Wrong here Damon,
Unlike you, I am a true Green advocate and why am I better qualified than you?
I have been involved in chemical toxicity study at three universities in Canada/US and NZ now and toxicity of many chemicals in our environment is now appearing as a very large threat to life of all animal life today.
It is the building up of the combination of all synthetic chemicals spayed and dropped around our land and into our watershed systems that is becoming a very toxic soup that will finally destroy us all and all animals we are trying to save.
The NZ water forum conference being today is now warning us that our
water quality has degraded severely now so adding yet more chemicals to the water we rely on for sustaining life is foolish indeed.
As a past green party member i am shocked that you as a green party candidate would condone yet using more toxic chemicals on our land has shocked me.
I was brought up in HB and remember several of my friends were hired by the current Walter Nash Labour Government in the early 1960’s to trap vermin then!!!!
These friends went high into the mountains everywhere to trap vermin, and no where was “inaccessible” as you claim, so we can use people here not chemicals thank, both to give jobs to the unemployed and others seeking outdoor jobs rather than further poisoning our lives and country thanks.
Martyn & co I want you to know that although I am your sworn frenemy/enemy, I still respect you. You’re not shy. You’ll publish it. I respect your courage. Have a good day
I just move my sheep they were out of grass, two where having a confrontation in the middle o the paddock, neither would move an inch. I opened the gates and slowly one by one mothers with lambs came trotting through. After a little while all that was left were the two sheep still in confrontation in the middle of the paddock, the rest quickly knew what was best and exited the paddock to solve their problem (in this case hunger)
We all do what seems best at the time but those that fail to look around stay stuck in time.
Where a person can walk, I am told most if not all of the North Island has had foot implemented pest control at some time, we have another option to offer. http://www.ecoland.co.nz
Yes there are a lot of concerned people who do not appeal to science in arriving at an anti-1080 position.
But does this make their opinions any weaker than DOC/AHB science?Here is Dr Jo Pollard’s critique of the Commissioner for the Environment’s report on 1080.
http://1080science.co.nz/a-scientific-evaluation-of-the-parliamentary-commissioner-for-the-environments-view-on-1080/
And a much more detailed critique of 1080’s effects on birds.
http://1080science.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Aerial-1080-Critical-Review_Pietak-Oct-26th-2011.pdf
Thank you. An excellent article. The fact remains that if trapping was successful there would be no need for 1080 poisoning, it’s as simple as that.
Its not an issue of trappers ability but that of neighbouring properties lack o participation. Strange that trapping is used as follows up to aerial drops as a clean up measure
The concerted campaign of pro poison propaganda since the anti poison hikoi to and rally in Wellington last week has been impressive. Well orchestrated, drip feed the same message daily. Switch the media platform, stay on the same track, grind it into the minds of the masses, especially those who only have time to listen to sound bites and read headlines. All textbook stuff as per The Century of the Self.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_0g1RUQMVQ
Bravo, Crosby Textor would be proud. Goebbels would have stared in open mouth amazement with an expression of unadulterated envy.
Bravo.
Apart from the peaks of the volcanic plateau and the Southern Alps which do not grow much bush very little of our bush covered land is not accessible to a fit person. And if 75M is close enough then it is negligible. And if helicopters were used to transport trappers and bait station operators instead of broadcasting poison it would be quite efficient. That most of the area where 1080 is broadcast by air is not accessible by trappers is an untruth that can only be sold to folks who have not spent much time there. And there are plenty of people keen to do it for a reasonable living. Some who do it already for nothing.
Tracking is only needed to much degree in areas of regrowth forrest. In original forrest cover the ground is shaded by canopy trees and underneath is quite walkable .
A study in Western Australia using cameras to monitor bait uptake in a fox poisoning project “http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1071/WR13136” found that 99% of baits were taken by non target species. 48% by the species that was being “protected” from the foxes.
As Damon says 1080 is a plant produced poison. The majority of the plants producing it are endemic to Western Australia, as is the Possum we are targeting. The Australians use 1080 to kill introduced foxes which are very susceptible whereas their endemic animals are not because they have evolved together with the plants. The possum is hence one of the least susceptible mammals to 1080. Not one of the most susceptible . But it is poison enough to kill them all the same. It takes little research to learn that insects are particularly vulnerable, and worms etc. It is not a targeted poison , its only redeeming feature is that it is quickly broken down in the environment so it does not go on poisoning forever . Only a few stages.
Why would colour or shape of a bait put one species off an unnatural product more than another? If changing colour or shape made a difference it would be very temporary. Animals have the capacity to learn about food. And as for “Pretty damn close” are you pretending the individual animals are fed individually? It is a broadcast operation giving blanket coverage , “Small quantities” ? Are you trying to kill as many as possible or only a percentage.
An earlier pro 1080 advocate was arguing that the area to be treated, is too vast to deal with in any other way. Only 1000ha per programme being trapped under best practice at the moment when DOC has 160 000ha to deal with and Forrest and Bird say 5 million ha needs to be treated. How does GPS mapping help turn this into anything but a vast wholesale broadcast with no end . It’s like America’s wars.
1080 breaks down quickly inside a poisoned animal. That is why it so doesn’t carry on killing indefinitely like some poisons do. This also means that it quickly becomes impossible to trace in an animal it has killed. So an animal death by 1080 cannot be disproven . Another agent being identified as having caused the death is the only way to indicate probability.
Sadly much of the anger aroused by 1080 is caused by the incomplete and deliberately misleading rhetoric of articles promoting it. Claiming the scientific facts in their headings but then producing little, and much of that inaccurate , and resorting to ridiculing people who oppose it. On recent DB discussion far more facts and references have been provided by the so called emotional and illogical opposition than by the advocates. We use it broadcast because it is cheap and easy .
I have not come upon any anti 1080 arguments that claim it is not an effective poison. It is more effective on some creatures than others. The criticism is that it kills too well and too indiscriminately, not that it is not effective. Plenty of studies overseas will attest to it effectiveness . That’s not why it is used hardly anywhere else. It’s because it kills too much.
I don’t think this article will restore much trust in the establishment.
D J S
Thank you, final another offering common sense and real fact. 144 EnviroMate 100 can be transported per pallet in 200litre steel drums in one helicopter lift. That amounts to 150ha of forest coverage at 100 x 150 m spacing. This system is weather proof and guarantee’s delivery and ability to clean up remaining toxins.
actually 216ha of coverage đ
Good luck New Zealand. You already top the cancer and suicide lists. Ever asked why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UetDixDdBZo&feature=em-uploademail
yes because youtube videos are the gold standard of evidence, just beating out memes and anecdotes
Good luck New Zealand. You already top the cancer and suicide lists. Ever asked why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UetDixDdBZo&feature=em-uploademail
The go-to is ‘powerful forces’ that over-ride institutions and science. Or as per witch-hunts, ‘magic’! In this media age we are more aware of negatives, which our brains take more centrally than positives biologically. Yet so much good in our past, and what do we have apart from science and democratic institutions? Something the misguided, deeply short-term, powerful like.
It worked very well at eliminating cattle the other day…
Is it not obvious to all that TDB is being used to promote the use of 1080
so
So, what’s up DOC?..
You say it’s safe in water.
Yet you offer water mitigation because 1080 is safe? OR..
You threaten to prosecute someone putting 1080 in a swimming pool because it’s not safe?
Manufacturers instructions warn you to keep it away from ANY body of water.
You say you don’t need to.
It’s the only tool we have you say.
Yet there are proven methods out there working well with zero by kill.
You say it targets pests.
You also say it kills native birds and have the research to prove that.
You say no humans have died from 1080.
How do you think that makes Ian Buchanan’s widow feel?
..and you know there are more cases proven.
You tell kids in school 1080 is as safe as a cup of tea. But also refuse to drop it during school holidays due to risk to children.
You say your science is the best science.
What about YOUR well respected scientist Mike Meads? The research you asked of him showed it was having catastrophic effects on our invertebrates, so you fired him.
You say none of us opposed have any idea about conservation.
What about jounalist Dave Hansford, your favoured paid mouth piece? Where is his degree in conservation?
You say it’s not inhumane.
Vets say it’s the equivalent to being electrocuted continuously for 2 days.
You say your helicopters have accurate GPS that allows precision when dropping.
But eyewitness reports yesterday show dead cows on a Te kuiti farm resulting from your choppers dropping pellets over the 50 meter buffer zone into their paddock.
You say it’s more inhumane to see a bird being eaten by a possum.
Yet research showed no birds in possums stomach contents.
You say Tb infected possums are the reason you use 1080.
Yet landcare research showed 0.02% of possums carry Tb, which is around the same as New Zealanders.
You say 1080 is working.
Yet your research shows almost 900 of our native species are facing extinction.
You say we believe pseudoscience.
A lot of the science we refer to is YOURS.
So which is it?
Safe or not?
Proven or not?
Humane or not?
Working or not?
Accurate or not?
I say, not.
WTF is up D.O.C.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/12/151517/docs-culture-wars-revealed?preview=1#
maybe this will help you decide who you be-leave “because its all about the money boys” Big Dan Teague
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iweFwlMhQWI
Damon;
âItâs hard to miss the recent groundswell of support for the elimination of 1080,â
Yes; what, 6 TDB articles in the space of 10 days? (Now there is a sign?)
At nearly 70ys of age, I have come to realize that highly controversial subjects / issues are so for very good reason.
Seems obvious but it is because, to many, something does not seem to add up / there are to many holes in The Narrative / dissenters start to get called names like nutters and conspiracy theorists etc etc.
We live in a world now where the Official Narrative is not always trusted.
Especially with the Internet at our fingertips.
Hot Button Subjects, especially when politicized, need to be researched for oneself.
Not just the mainstream news / literature and teachings but other research / info
that may contradict the official line. ie, ‘the otherside of the story.’
Many intelligent commentators on TDB have done just that.
The beauty of many eyes of research put all in one place.
I did not know much about 1080 until now. So I took the time (to save my time)
to read through all the links contained in Martyns’ 3 articles below in order.
I have gleaned out 5 links that just ‘hit me in the face’!!
I urge / challenge you to do the same. Start with those 5 links.
Real science, real expert quotes, real events.
Now, with normal cognitive skills, I am not left in any doubt.
FIVE LINKS:
To any investigative reporter, the link below should set off numerous alarms.
1. The message of what Dr Baycroft had to say.
2. The fact he was threatened with litigation.
3. The video clip of him speaking has been blocked.
4. Numerous comments say they can not share/send information from their Facebook or cell phone on the subject.
(These comments in both Martyns’ and Christine Roses’ articles)
5. Protests seem downplayed by our MSM. (Like TPPA march)
6. The death of the American 23yr old woman (her lost heart sent for testing) and
7.The poisoning of the Indian family BOTH smell highly of cover up and collusion.
8. Nobody interviews the hunter, even though his dog died the same day as the kill.
9. Even though many doctors diagnose 1080 poisoning in notes, there is no testing for 18 days which is far to late from instructions to test and
10. Many, many other pertinent links covering what is really happening throughout NZ in the comment sections of all the Martyn’s links.
Many more alarms with real evidence.
https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/if-you-die-from-1080-poisoning-nobody-will-know-bullied-docs-are-not-doing-the-tests-said-dr-charlie-baycroft-at-saturdays-protest-in-wellington/
âRemember the young woman whose Doctor suspected 1080 poisoning, urged the authorities to test, only to have the lab lose her heart?! That good Doctor was basically told to leave the story alone. Then there was the recent poisoned Putaruru family and the cover up that accompanied their illness.â
Both these two incidents above are logged in the poison register below.
âPOISON REGISTER WORKING DOCUMENTâ
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18c9NXa4NsZp5bzEm4WM8aP_Us41DjXXMuxkHHcqap3U/edit
“DOCâs culture wars revealed.”
âOver my time in DOC, what I saw was an increasingly flagrant disregard for the importance of science. It was almost a cult of persecution of the expert; expert sort of became the latest scare-word.â
âIf we see an agency that appears to have stopped publishing science then I
think that should raise some concerns.â
âHow could it be that a Department of Conservation could employ some of the world leaders in conservation and yet ignore their advice? But it does.â
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/12/151517/docs-culture-wars-revealed?preview=1#
Top scientist below another to be pushed out.
Mike Meads – DoC’s insect guy speaks out, before his death ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixvo1DemwE4&feature=share
http://1080science.co.nz/
_________________________________________
Something is not right, DOC’s science has many holes and the 1080 Program
as it stands is not safe.
With these rising saturation levels, isn’t it just a matter of time before 1080
IS detected in our export honey, meat, dairy, game or trout?
What happens when the next American tramper, hiker, tourist dies with a real
link the poison.? (Or anyone for that matter.)
The result? Multiple industries wiped out overnight.
To put all that at risk just seems so reckless. An unessessary risk.
The Program should cease until a truly independent investigation and
proper scientific analysis of all alternative options and practice.
NZ could well have a thriving multi- $million fur, game and petfood business
employing 100’s if not thousands of people right down the chain to fabric and apparel.
Remember a few years back when John Key appeared on HARD TALK â BBC.
The host asked him about our top experts’ (at the time) research that our rivers
and lakes were polluted and not safe.
Key’s arrogant reply? âI could find a scientist that would say otherwise.â!!!
As you mature, you too might find that ‘Establishment Science’ is not always
‘Empirical Established Science’.
MARTYN’S 3 ARTICLES:
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/09/09/banning-1080-is-in-the-same-family-of-conspiracy-as-anti-water-fluoridation-anti-vaxers/
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/09/14/ban-1080-protestors-lie-to-make-their-point-can-doc-forest-bird-please-get-off-their-arses/
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/09/16/anti-1080-protesters-as-irrational-as-meth-contaminated-state-housing-hysteria/
Remember;
ESTABLISHMENT SCIENCE IS NOT THE SAME
AS EMPIRICAL ESTABLISHED SCIENCE.
There are many examples.
Cheers.
In the NZ Herald Editorial this morning:All these epithets aimed at anti 1080 opinion :
unhinged,ill informed,compared to”government led gas attack from Bashar Al- Assad”, frothing at the mouth, bonkers 1080 knockers, ilk.
Its great to see a balanced editorial showing both sides of the argument from our 1% owned news media.My first inclination is that if they are for 1080, then I better have another look at the evidence, because they are on the opposite side of about every other issue to me on the planet. If there is an unsavoury war, a corporation manufacturing a toxic substance, a fascist government, support for the criminal U.S. Empire in all its manifestations, the Herald is for it.Those for 1080 poisoning, look at your bedfellows and vomit!!!
“OPINION OF A 1080 NUTTER”
by Bill Wallace, founder of the Ban 1080 Party
Published in the Greymouth Star, 21 September, 2108
“I became seriously opposed to the aerial use of 1080 in 2014.
At the time I was flying DoC staff and contractors into Kahurangi National Park to monitor rat numbers.
Those DoC workers were recording very low rat numbers in the remote valleys that had never been poisoned before, and could not sleep for Kiwi at night, and reported kaka and kakariki in the bush around them, as well as no shortage of blue duck.
When I asked the local biodiversity officer why they would poison this central area of the Park with virtually no rats, he responded, âWeâve got that much money for 1080, we donât know where else to spread it.â
With a B.Sc. in Ecology, I decided to read the DoC science, and ask some official questions of DoC.
I asked which bird species were to be monitored, and where the unpoisoned control areas for comparison would be. Three separate DoC officers received the same questions; three different answers were received.
Greg Napp (13/4/2014 DoC) said âit is almost impossible to find comparable âcontrol areasâ because of Kahurangiâs unique characteristics’.
Jan Hania (6/6/2014 DoC) said the Haast Range and Lake Roe in Fiordland were the control sites.
Steve Deverell (July 2014 DoC) said that Abbey Rocks and Mt Stanley were the control sites.
But none of the same species were studied at both sites so any comparisons would be meaningless. Perhaps DoC staff should talk to each other before they just âmake stuff upâ.
DoC went ahead with poisoning the entire Park, in spite of low rat numbers. DoCâs own Compulsory Standards (June 2014) prevents 1080 drops unless rat monitoring is at 20%. The only exception to the Compulsory Standard is expert judgment of benefit to the birds.
When I requested the expert judgment that had convinced DoC to proceed ,Nelsonâs DoC conservator said âThe technical advice was given verbally and therefore a copy cannot be made availableâ (OIA reply Dec 18 th 2014)
In 2014 DoC claimed 95% of rats had been killed, and 85% of stoats. When I requested the rat and stoat data, it was clear there was only a 65% drop in rat numbers averaged over the poisoned valleys, and no stoats had been counted either before or after the drop. Rat numbers dropped also in the unpoisoned valleys as well, which happens every winter anyway. (OIA reply 20/11/15)
Also the 29 rock wren being monitored on Grange Range all disappeared at the time of the 2014 1080 drop, DoC attributed that total loss to a heavy snow fall. Now I canât prove that these insectivorous birds died from secondary poisoning (1080 was designed as an insecticide), but neither can DoC prove it was snow.
And if the snow was responsible for 100% loss of rock wren, then it would also probably account for the 65% drop in rat numbers.(Stuff 17/1/2015)
There is no doubt in my mind that DoC manipulate their figures, they exaggerate their successes, and deny or ignore their failures.
DoCâs latest research paper on 1080 in alpine areas (OâDonnell, Weston, Monks 2017), concludes the evidence for success is anecdotal, but that is enough to justify continuation. Anecdotal means hearsay, and reading that paper, the hearsay comes from DoCâs most pro-1080 staff. Hardly indisputable, independently peer reviewed science.
What about the hearsay from WARO operators in Fiordland, the valleys recently poisoned, not a single kea at the gut heaps, whereas in the unpoisoned valleys, about 20 kea at each gut heap.
And the 8 resident kea at the Kepler hut, which disappeared immediately after that drop.
When frustrated DoC staff do âoutâ their departmentâs cover-ups, and release the horrendous kea deaths (9 out of 27 Franz, 7 out of 11 Okarito), DoC come up with completely unsubstantiated claims about modification of behavior by humans, and always include photos of beautiful live kea, never the sad dead kea
which they recover and photograph. Convert these losses to percentages and you realize the 95% reduction in kea numbers over the 65 years weâve been using 1080, is largely attributable to 1080.
The recent ZIP double dose, double strength insanity in the Perth River in South Westland, which is as remote as you can get, recorded 8 out of 11 kea had interacted with the pre-feed baits – no human conditioning possible here. DoCâs response was to shoot over 100 tahr, and leave their cut open bodies on
prominent ridges to hopefully attract the kea away from the poison baits. (ZIP 11/7/2018)
The supposed careful timing of the drops is also a myth, the idea is just before the birds nest when predator numbers are building. In late spring 2016, the Kaikoura earthquake followed by the Banks Peninsula fires tied up virtually all the heavy lift helicopters, and DoC were still dropping 1080 well into following winter, long after the birds had hatched and fledged, and rodent numbers would have been dropping naturally as they do each winter.
And the science is that the rat number always recover quickly after the drops anyway. The only science I can find on ratâs genetic resistance found the dose that killed 74% of rats (about DoCâs success rate), 4 generations on of survivors getting the same dose, was only killing 17% of rats.( Howard, March et al 1973)
Is DoC simply creating Super Rat.
DoC are now planning aerial drops every year on the Heaphy Coast, âeach pest control operation will provide a window for native species to breed and thrive that lasts around 3 to 6 months before rat numbers begin to build againâ (DoC
7/9/2018)
In Sept 2016, Civil Aviation released an urgent notice to helicopter operators to check their hooks, as there had been a spate of recent releases of poison buckets ( Continuing Airworthiness Notice – 05-005 Cargo Hook System … 13/9/2016)
My understanding is that 3 buckets were dropped that year, 2 of them not recovered, so two 1 tonne heaps of 1080 poison in the bush or a river.
An OIA to then DoC Minister, Maggie Barry about these incidents, elicited this response âI am informed that the then Minister of Conservation was advised of one incident involving a departmental operation that occurred on 2 November 2013.â
The reason DoC donât consider it an incident, is that the heaps are within an area consented for poison drops. Convenient logic, or just denial of the bad stuff ?
Perhaps the cruelty is the biggest concern for a lot of NZerâs. 1080âs cruelty ranking is 6, but because that is lower than the 8 rating of brodifacoum (which DoC also drops from the air), the claim is that 1080 is ârelatively humaneâ. There is no 10 on the scale, so 9 is the most horrendous torturous death imaginable.
Our Govtâs scientists fed 1080 to 38 impounded dogs, and then recorded their deaths âcontinual barking and howling, the dog becomes over-active, and behaves as if terrified, but appears to be unaware of its surroundings. There are tonic convulsions (sustained muscle contractions) followed by running movements. Vomiting is common,âŚdeath is typically the result of respiratory paralysis. Death is never cardiac in origin, the hearts slows but continues beating for some time after respiration failsâ
If Jan Wright and successive Ministers can defend this as âhumaneâ, then they are as cold-hearted and callous as the scientists who administer the poison and witness the deaths, pretending this is conservation science.
New Zealandâs much touted Animal Welfare Act, has a special clause 30A which allows DoC and itâs contractors to âwilfully and recklessly ill-treat wild animals or animals in wild stateâ.
Gareth Hughes for the Green Party was last week attacking chicken meat processors for their animal welfare abuses (Stuff 10/9/2018), but across the hall, his associate Eugene Sage, is gleefully preparing for the torturous deaths of tens of thousands of mammals and birds in total breach of the Act, if it wasnât for Sect 30A.
The Green Partyâs close relative, Forest and Birds enthusiasm for 1080 suprises me. I wonder how many of their wealthy donors would revisit their bequests if they realized the level of support for this cruelty. If youâre about to write your will, Womenâs Refuge or SPCA would seem much more deserving and caring organisations.
And the poor old possum, portrayed by DoC as a savage predator, but with the teeth arrangement and gut of a typical herbivore.
OSPRI claim possums spread Tb to cattle, but there is no evidence to support this claim. The Broadcasting Standards Authority found OSPRI guilty of false advertising as they could not produce a shred of evidence to support their claims.
(Herald 28/7/2016)
The actual transfer of Tb around NZ has always been on the back of trucks, and the recent M.bovis debacle has exposed how appallingly inept OSPRIâs management has been of the NAIT tracking system, which helps explains why Tb has never been completely eradicated.
So, while the taxpayer is forking out $1 Billion in a probably doomed attempt to clean up M.Bovis, OSPRI continues to collect 3.8c/Kg milk solids and $17/head cull subsidy from farmers, and wastes this $65M/yr on 1080 poison.
Of 124,000 possums autopsied in the last decade, 54 had Tb. In the same time frame, Landcare infected about 200 possums with Tb and released them into the wild in a bizarre experiment, which showed infected possums didnât move beyond their home range before dying, further proof there is no possibility of possums transferring Tb between regions.
As for the threats to DoC, who doesnât know someone whoâs had a wheel come loose? All DoCâs claims of threats seem planned to attract attention away from the real arguments about the cruelty and stupidity of their continued drops. An OIA revealed there have been exactly SIX cases of threats reported to NZ Police since March 2016. And the details of these 6 cases – in 2 incidents the perpetrator was apparently identified and received a formal warning from Police. 3 cases were phone calls, 1 was a âflyerâ left on a DoC vehicle. None have progressed to prosecution. (OIA Police 27/8/2018).
DoCâs exaggerated escalation of the threat level, simply portrays their staff as pathetic paranoid poisoners, barricading themselves away in their offices, drawing lines on maps for the next 1080 drop, to justify their share of the budget.
And the repeated claim that the 1080 in the infant milk formulae was an anti-1080 protestor. Jeremy Kerr was a contractor to DoC, producing poison products of his own, so why do media, politicians and DoC keep repeating this blatant lie ?
A police investigator in that operation, Derek Shaw, said âI have to say that 95% of the anti-1080 group were just genuine good New Zealanders that were taking a well thought-out position on an issue and were following their passion. “Iâve got a new respect for the anti-1080 community because of their
genuineness and their honesty and their passion. I havenât got an opinion one way or the other [about 1080] but for them, I can see that on the whole theyâre not some kind of terrorist group or anything like that and were good to deal with.”
(Stuff 22/10/2016 Thank you Derek)
And the 25,000,000 birds eaten a year by introduced predators. That figure comes from the back of an envelope calculation, 5 breeding pairs per hectare, 70% nests fail, 60% of failures because of predators, so 42% nesting failure to predators multiplied up by average clutch size, and hectares gives about 25 million.
Iâve researched DoCâs papers and find that their scientists believe that given their small sample sizes, and their lack of scientific controls, over 20% of birds could be killed in 55% of 1080 drops (Veltman Westbrooke 2010), so thatâs 2 birds out
of 10 per hectare, thatâs 40% nesting failure (assuming the 2 were from different breeding pairs) so on DoCâs own figures, again multiplied up by average number of eggs laid, thatâs potentially 25,000,000 eggs not laid because of 1080.
As for the myth that 1080 is somehow selective, Professor Ian Shaw (NZâs leading toxicologist) says âif anyone tells you that 1080 can discriminate between pests and native animals they are talking complete and utter rubbish.â(Stuff
March 13, 2015)
And how much of the DoC budget is wasted on the slick PR propaganda machine, churning out the glossy Battle for the Birds brochures for each of the drops ? These brochures always include photos of kea and rock wren as species being âsavedâ, but DoCâs Graeme Elliot tells us âThe 1080 drop in 2014 killed four Keas and led to the death of Rock Wrensâ (Fairfax Nov 16, 2015) It wasnât just 4 kea. It was 4 kea wearing radio transmitters, 10% of the radio-tagged kea. In previous poisoning drops DoC have managed over 30% kill of kea. If 4000 kea were exposed to those massive drops, DoC killed at least 400, possibly a thousand, kea.
And my favorite line, quoted by successive ministers is âitâs the best tool weâve got in our toolboxâ. Well, if I was looking for a builder, and the best tool he had was a 65 year old chisel, with a broken handle, and a blunt rusted edge, Iâm not going to give him $500 Million a year, and say âCarry Onâ
The anger against 1080 in rural communities is palpable, the majority of farmers I know, donât believe for a minute, that 1080 is doing anything to protect them from Tb. Many rural families in our area (as do we personally) live largely on venison and wild pork. Thereâs no night clubs out here. Apart from rugby, our young men hunt on their weekends, but this recreational pursuit is disappearing, and many of them have witnessed the horrific loss of a dog to this poison.
And we also notice the loss of our native predators after the 1080 drops, no longer the haunting call of the morepork and the searching glide of the falcon around our home, and the shrill cry of the kea that were on Mt Burnett, until the first 1080 drop.
Am I a conspiracy theorist, I donât believe so, but an old retired lawyer acquaintance of mine talked about the âcollective institutionalized atychiphobiaâ he encountered when working for regional councils. Itâs the fear of being wrong, and at a Departmental level itâs being the first to put your hand up and question what youâre doing, or admitting youâre wrong. The collective job security mentality kicks in, and the Council or Government department will go to Court, or employ the spin doctors, rather than accept liability.
The flood gates on the 1080 myth will open, it will be as big as the leaky home scandal when it breaks, but nobody will ever be held responsible, and as itâs all taxpayerâs billions, apart from the poor old farmers levies, no individual will be financially disadvantaged.
So, write us all off as nutters and extremists if you will, but donât be surprised by the fervor of our hatred for this cruel indiscriminate toxin, and our disdain and lack of respect for DoC.”
Bill Wallace
Founder Ban1080 Party
Why did the Environmental Commissioner after 2 years research report 1080 was for the best, William Wallace? You know all we have is science and the open society provided by democracy. Doubts beyond that only lead to craze and an approaching cliff. Reason is the due North of our lives. Don’t join in with the massed majority of fools by which we rush to that cliff.
Comments are closed.