Back in 1993 rodents were eliminated from Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki Gulf by a helicopter drop of the poisonous brodifacoum, organised by DOC.
I have not been able to find out exactly why brodifacoum was used and not 1080, but both have the effect of killing rodents.
The eradication was judged a success. While 90% of pukeko died, all other birds survived and subsequently thrived. The pukeko population quickly bounced back too.
I joined as a volunteer on Tiritiri about 2000, and helped with some of the last of the native replanting. I also joined the committee for
a couple of years.
It was a joy to see and hear birds like kokako, takahe, kakariki, saddleback, North Island robin, all thriving in the predator-free environment. Birds that live, nest or forage for food on the ground were safe again. They had been safe in New Zealand for millions of years before predators like rats, stoats, weasels, ferrets and possums were introduced.
The upshot of my love for the birds of Tiritiri, and the success of the predator kill, is thus an important factor in my attitude to the fiery discussion about 1080 use and drops.
It is the contention of DOC and its expert advisers that 1080 drops are essential if we want to prevent the demise of our much-loved native birds, especially kiwi, dotterel, kaka, kakariki and wrybill.
I spoke to Auckland University Professor James Russell, who said it comes down to values - the birds versus the poison. He acknowledges continuing to use 1080 poison is controversial but, like me, abhors the vicious personal campaign against pro-1080 people, including DOC workers who are only doing their job. They are receiving death threats, and threats of large 1080 drops on their homes and family.
Stoats are public enemy number one for New Zealand birds. Time -delayed night time photos have shown stoats at work killing kiwi chicks. They are said to have only two reasons for living — to eat and to reproduce. Stoats eat eggs, chicks and up to 3kg takake and 2kg kakapo.
A study by former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, is interesting. Wright had been told there were "many good arguments on both sides."
That turned out not to be so, she says. Without active pest management only one in 20 kiwi chicks survive. While it is sad to kill just one dog, Wright says only eight have been killed, and she compares that loss to carnage on our roads where no one is calling a halt to traffic. She says there are no alternatives that can do the same job.
Wright's study concludes, "continue using 1080, in fact increase its use. No predator that has invaded our country will leave of their own accord."
DOC calls its 1080 programme a ‘Battle for our Birds’, to kill rats, stoats and possums. Monitoring shows that at-risk native species are being protected by predator control programmes.
However, many people are now calling for research efforts to seek diverse and innovative solutions so we can decommission 1080. After all it is banned in the US and many other countries. It is also acknowledged that many dissenters are important change agents working for positive change.
The group of thoughtful dissenters does not include the radical few who are calling for personal attacks on DOC workers and who advocate shooting down helicopters dropping 1080. These extremists are declaring a conspiracy by Government and are no longer, to quote one activist "keeping even one finger tip on a fact."
Kevin Hague from Greenpeace, and a former Green Party MP, says 1080 is not his preferred method, but it is effective, and is extremely important for protecting the ecology that is so precious to us.
It’s not my preferred method either. 1080 was made by Tull Chemicals of Alabama US, who bought the rights to it from none other than our arch enemy, Monsanto, producer of Roundup with glyphosate, in 1952. Tull has now ceased production, and I could not find out where New Zealand now secures its 1080. Towards the end of its production Tull was exporting 90% of its product to New Zealand, 7% to Australia and 3% to Israel.
There may be valid arguments for a temporary use of 1080 to prevent critical loss of our native birds, but alternatives to poisonous toxins must be found.
It may be that New Zealand is somewhat unique in having no mammalian predators prior to human habitation, and we just may be able to have a predator-free country by 2050 or later, but we must ensure that as part of this aspirational aim we use 21st Century technology to ensure its success. 1080, like glyphosate, must be phased out as soon as possible, but probably not before a suitable replacement is found. (JOHN ELLIOTT)