January 11, 2019
Benefits of 1080 to ngahere praised
A Ngati Porou spokesperson says 1080 drops are the only way to control pests in the Raukumara ranges.
Campbell Dewes was in a group of iwi leaders helicoptered into the heart of the East Coast forest by the Department of Conservation last year to see the devastation caused by possums, rats and other predators.
He says the subsequent 1080 drops are showing some effect, with vegetation starting to regenerate.
The death of deer and other mammals may cause other problems, but they are outweighed by the need to protect the ngahere.
The SPCA has been widely condemned for calling for a ban on the use of poisons such as 1080 because of the suffering they cause to target animals.
Forest & Bird says an estimated 25 million native birds, eggs and chicks are eaten alive by introduced predators every year in New Zealand.
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