Controlling Possum in New Zealand with 1080
Using 1080 to control possums in New Zealand
The sodium fluoroacetate used for pest control as biodegradable 1080 is chemically identical to the toxin naturally found in leaves of many plants in Australia, Brazil and Africa1. Its first use dates back to 1944 in the United states for vertebrate control and has been used against several other species since. Currently used in Mexico, Japan, Australia and Israel.
The first trials in New Zealand in 1954 were successful and by 1957 it was already being widely used for rabbit control replacing other toxins like strychnine, which was considered inhumane. New Zealand is the largest user of 1080 poison, utilising 80% of the world’s production – around 2300 kg per year2. It has remained a wildly debated topic in New Zealand with most of the discussion happening between livestock farmers and animal rights activist even after it has been considered safe in the re-evalution by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in 2011. Most of the concerns raised in the debate are about polluting water supplies, illness of people in the areas where 1080 is aerially-applied and dangers of unintended poisoning of farm animals, especially native birds.3
There are three types of baits used are:
Cereal pellets – Manufactured in New Zealand at the size of a thumb, each batch has to meet very specific standards. Can be aerial-dropped, hand broadcasted or used in bait stations.
Paste - Made apple based with a green tincture and same rate of toxicity as pellets. Closely resembling jam it is applied by ‘paste guns’.
Carrot baits - Cheap, effective with the biggest flaw of it having to be washed, diced, screened and then having 1080 applied by spray. Second problem is its short shelf-life. Dehydration after dicing occurs too soon – especially in hot weather.4
The last method is generally used where it’s not possible or is very impractical to apply by hand. In my opinion the aerial methods of dispersal is the most effective both
The sodium fluoroacetate used for pest control as biodegradable 1080 is chemically identical to the toxin naturally found in leaves of many plants in Australia, Brazil and Africa1. Its first use dates back to 1944 in the United states for vertebrate control and has been used against several other species since. Currently used in Mexico, Japan, Australia and Israel.
The first trials in New Zealand in 1954 were successful and by 1957 it was already being widely used for rabbit control replacing other toxins like strychnine, which was considered inhumane. New Zealand is the largest user of 1080 poison, utilising 80% of the world’s production – around 2300 kg per year2. It has remained a wildly debated topic in New Zealand with most of the discussion happening between livestock farmers and animal rights activist even after it has been considered safe in the re-evalution by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in 2011. Most of the concerns raised in the debate are about polluting water supplies, illness of people in the areas where 1080 is aerially-applied and dangers of unintended poisoning of farm animals, especially native birds.3
There are three types of baits used are:
Cereal pellets – Manufactured in New Zealand at the size of a thumb, each batch has to meet very specific standards. Can be aerial-dropped, hand broadcasted or used in bait stations.
Paste - Made apple based with a green tincture and same rate of toxicity as pellets. Closely resembling jam it is applied by ‘paste guns’.
Carrot baits - Cheap, effective with the biggest flaw of it having to be washed, diced, screened and then having 1080 applied by spray. Second problem is its short shelf-life. Dehydration after dicing occurs too soon – especially in hot weather.4
The last method is generally used where it’s not possible or is very impractical to apply by hand. In my opinion the aerial methods of dispersal is the most effective both