Nga Kaitiaki Tuku Iho Incorporated was established as a national society late last year to promote community and environmental wellbeing. The society opposes the indiscriminate use of poisons for conservation purposes.

Chairman Brad Flutey said yesterday that “We agree with the SPCA that current practices are cruel and unethical. We support their stand. Nga Kaitiaki seeks an urgent review of both the government’s Predator Free 2050 agenda and of the avenues that are being explored to promote an agenda of introduced animal eradication.”

“Poisons such as 1080 and brodifacoum contribute to the inhumane deaths and other sparsely studied sub-lethal effects on birds, mammals and all other organisms that require the production of energy to survive. Our native birds are endangered. We reject the idea that any ‘by-kill’ is acceptable, irrespective of species”.

“Those who want 1080 banned are among those who care most about the well-being of our wildlife and our ecosystems. Use of this substance is contributing to avoidable and potentially irreversible ecological, economic and biosecurity risks for Aotearoa/ New Zealand. We are aware of many alternatives that show far greater potential to promote better ecosystem health. Our membership, for example, has experience in effective hunting techniques that provide constant predation, revenue and a consistent connection to the mauri of the forest.”

“Research and long-term tracking data indicate that the use of these poisons over the past 68 years may be creating, rather than managing, problems with rat plagues. The spread of 1080- a deadly class 1a poison- into water, riverbeds, and onto our forest floors and canopies, conflicts with public concern about contamination of our ecosystems. Our ‘Clean Green’ image needs substance, so that we, the people of the land, can be justly proud.”

“To do this we must come together for the good of all who live on this planet, and the sooner the better.”

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