(NZ) 1080 Poison drop sabotaged

[Guest guest]

(Note:The possuums referred to in this post are Australian brush tailed

possums

introduced to New Zealand years ago by those wishing to exploit them for

their

fur etc. Of course its the same old story, the Australian possums have few

natural

enemies in their NZ habitat and are now considered a " pest " species to be

poisoned with 1080

(a very nasty death) - once again animals are suffering terrible deaths at

the hands

of humans who caused the problem by translocating the possums in the first

place!

**************************************************************************

Poison drop sabotaged

Tuesday, 28-August 2001

Otago daily times

 

Nelson: An aerial drop of 1080 poison in the Nelson region of Canaan Downs

was delayed

yesterday after bags of the poison were sabotaged at a storage site on the

Takaka

Hill early yesterday morning.

Later, a group of protesters invaded private farmland at Upper Takaka where

poisoning

operations were also being conducted.

Department of Conservation area manager John Mason said someone broke into

an area

where the bait was stored between 2am and 3am, ripped open bags containing

the poison

and poured diesel over it.

A bicycle was found near the sabotage site after the incident.

The ruined bait was to be disposed of yesterday and more was sought so the

drop could

go ahead, Doc said.

Doc had been aware some people opposed to 1080 use were planning to take

action but

" we did not know what exactly " , Mr Mason said.

He was disappointed with the sabotage and police had agreed to watch over

the site

while the operation proceeded.

Mr Mason said a dozen anti-1080 protesters had been at the site yesterday

morning

at first light, but their behaviour had been peaceful.

About 20 protesters later shifted their attention to another aerial drop

site, at

Upper Takaka. They entered private farmland and headed for a helicopter

launch site,

but were being spoken to by police.

Landowner David Harwood was concerned the protesters had upset his lambing

stock.

About 2000ha of land in the Canaan Downs area is being poisoned by Doc, as a

possum

control measure. Opponents say that 1080 poison contaminates waterways and

could present

long-term risks to human health.

The Upper Takaka 10,000ha drop is a joint project between Doc and the Animal

Health

Board.

Doc and the board will this week distribute an information sheet supporting

the use

of 1080 to kill possums, which destroy native bush and present a risk of

tuberculosis

to livestock. Last year, diesel was used to contaminate 1080 poison bait

locked in

a store at Tapawera. - NZPA