Mt Pirongia. Photo: Hamilton and Waikato Tourism
The Department of Conservation is waiting for clear weather to make a 1080 drop in Pirongia Forest Park.
Mt Pirongia from Alexandra Redoubt
“We have one aerial 1080 operation planned,” said DOC Waikato operations manager Niwha Jones.
The operation, the first in five years, will focus on protection of biodiversity and wildlife at the park and neighbouring Te Kauri Forest Park and is planned for suitable clear weather windows between now and December 19.
“At these locations, our native birds face threats from introduced predators,” Jones said.
“The focus of these two operations is to control rats and possums.”
Niwha Jones
Species like kōkako are at risk from predators and there has been a battle to counter a decline in numbers. Ship rats, possums, and stoats are the primary culprits. Female kōkako are particularly at risk of predation, according to DOC, as they do all the incubation and brooding throughout a 50-day nesting period. Years of such predation have resulted in populations that are predominantly male and with consequent low productivity rates.
DOC will use biodegradable bait pellets containing 1080 to target rodents and possums. Stoats will also be controlled through secondary poisoning as they feed on the carcasses of the dead rodents.
The operation will begin with the distribution of non-toxic pre-feed bait pellets to prepare possums and rodents to eat the toxic green dyed bait that is applied afterwards. Both baits are about 16 mm in diameter and cylindrical shaped.
ECO-FX helicopters will distribute bait across nearly 16,000 hectares along pre-determined monitored flight paths. After the operation, DOC will monitor the numbers of introduced predators using traps and monitor kōkako nesting.
DOC says people should not eat animals from the area and the buffer zone. The standard buffer zone is two kilometres for deer and pigs, 200 metres for rabbits, and one kilometre for hares, wallabies, and possums.
