1080 Rat Control

By Ian Gill (Department of Conservation)

Preparations are underway to use aerial 1080 operations to protect bats, mohua and parakeets from a rapidly expanding rodent problem occurring at three West Coast sites.

An abundance of forest seed is boosting rodent numbers in many West Coast forests, but the Department of Conservation says it is particularly concerned about the impact this will have in the Landsborough Valley (South Westland), Maruia Valley (near Reefton), and in the Oparara Valley (near Karamea).

West Coast Community Relations Manager, Chris Hickford, said monitoring confirms that a large forest seeding phenomenon, called a “Mast event”, has occurred which is triggering a rodent population irruption.

Bats and parakeets and other bird species are at risk at all three sites and the Landsborough Valley is home to a significant mohua population.

“Rats in particular are deadly wildlife killers and they have wiped out entire populations of species, like mohua, during past events like this” Mr Hickford said.

“Our other problem is that increasing rodent numbers always boosts stoat numbers and if we don’t do anything to control the devastation the outlook for a wide range of wildlife in these important places is very bleak,” he said.
Stoats are killed by eating the poisoned rats.

“We are going to move quickly now and we aim to get aerial 1080 rat control operations underway in each of these three sites by the end of October,” Mr Hickford said.

Mr Hickford said people can learn more about the importance of rat control by viewing this YouTube video featuring DOC scientist Graeme Elliott: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM56h9hAjxs

ENDS

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