New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association Incorporated
Concern at why dangerous Poison was in Murupara Heliport Fire
The New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association is concerned at the presence of Brodifacoum, a deadly rat poison in Tuesday's
fire at Lakeland helicopters' Depot at Murupara, on the edge of Urewera National Park. Four firefighters and 14 other
people were taken to Rotorua Hospital for tests, after being exposed to fumes during the fire.
Brodifacoum is a deadly cumulative poison used to kill rats and possums on offshore islands. But because it is a
cumulative poison, it is not licenced for aerial distribution on mainland New Zealand.
"It is important for the public to know why large amounts of Brodifacoum were at Lakeland Helicopters' base on the edge
of Urewera National Park when it is illegal to use this poison on mainland New Zealand" NZDA spokesman Dr Hugh Barr
said. "Brodifacoum used aerially either by the Department of Conservation or other poisoning agencies was a major risk
to hunters harvesting wild deer and pigs. The Ureweras are a popular deerstalking area, and there are also popular pig
hunting areas nearby".
"They was also a major risk to farmed cattle, deer and sheep, because overseas markets were paranoid about the presence
of brodifacoum in export meat. To our knowledge there have been no announcements about aerial brodifacoum drops in the
area" Dr Barr said. " We want to know how the brodifacoum came to be at this helicopter base in Murupara and what it was
to be used for."
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