(Australia) NSW National Parks to poison rare animals with 1080

[Guest guest]

Ban the use of 1080 !!!

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Sydney Morning Herald Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/05/22/1022038439910.html

Home > National News > Article Thursday May 23, 2002

National Parks to poison rare fauna

By James Woodford, Environment Writer

May 23 2002

 

Greens say quolls will be sacrificed ... a baby tiger quoll. Photo: Brendan

Esposito

 

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the agency charged with

protecting the state's fauna, plans to deliberately poison, and possibly

kill, a population of an endangered species within a wilderness area next

month.

 

Quolls from the Kosciuszco National Park will be poisoned as part of an

experiment on the effects of mass baiting. But conservationists are angry

that the quolls may, in essence, be sacrificed to prove a point to the NSW

Farmers Association.

 

A battle has been under way in the south of the state between the service

and the farmers association over the management of wild dog populations that

have been killing sheep.

 

Farmers are demanding a mass program of aerial 1080 poison baiting in

national park areas to control dingoes.

 

Green groups and some in the parks service have opposed the program because

other native carnivores are also known to take the baits.

 

Beginning in June, the service plans to trap and radio-collar a wild

population of up to 10 tiger quolls within the Byadbo and Pilot Wilderness

Area in Kosciuszco National Park.

 

Even though it has already been proven that 1080 is deadly to tiger quolls,

the parks service wants to determine whether the species is " killed by

aerially-delivered poison baits " .

 

The plan is to conduct an experiment that would require the animals, which

are listed as vulnerable to extinction under both state and Commonwealth

legislation, to ingest 1080.

 

Conservationists are appalled that widespread 1080 baiting throughout NSW

could be allowed to go ahead, but are even more angry that the Kosciuszco

quolls could be sacrificed.

 

The executive director of service's southern directorate, Tony Fleming, said

the number of sheep being killed was unacceptable, despite the most

intensive ground-baiting program using 1080 bait stations (which avoid

targeting native species) in the park's history.

 

" We need to look at any other methods for dog control, " Dr Fleming said. " If

this experiment reveals that aerial baiting is dangerous for quoll

populations, then that will be the end of the debate. "

 

For the experiment, bait stations will be established within the home range

of these collared quolls.

 

An application to the Federal Government, required under the Environment

Protection and Biodiversity Act, says that a dye is to be put into the baits

to " assist in confirming instances where tiger quoll mortality occurs " . If

no quolls are killed by the baits, the parks service will move to stage two

of the experiment.

 

" Helicopters will be used to deliver baits, " says the application, " as it

has been proven that baits can be more accurately dropped from these craft

in terrain such as that encountered within both the potential study areas.

All radio-collared animals will then be monitored on a daily basis for

sufficient length of time to quantify whether any baits have been consumed,

resulting in mortality. "

 

The director of The Colong Foundation for Wilderness, Keith Muir, said the

experiment was immoral

 

" The parks service shouldn't bend to the pressure of local farmers to bait

in national parks, " he said.

 

" Instead, farmers and the NPWS should give a fair go to developing a

co-operative wild dog control program. "

 

The chief executive of the NSW Farmers Association, Jonathan McKeown, said

his organisation wanted the baits in the national park to be left on ridge

tops, where dogs go but quolls do not.

 

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1080 is already known to cause agonising deaths in Australian native animals

in Tasmania

Here is the reply I received from Premier Jim Bacon.

Obviously the Tasmanian Government values tree plantations above

the lives of wildlife. Interestingly, Premier Bacon says that the

Tasmanian Government does not use the 1080 to control quolls.

I wonder if he understands the fact that non-target animals are eating the

1080 baits and dying horrific deaths and secondly, the use of 1080 to kill

any wildlife if unacceptably cruel . If anyone else wants to write

a reply here are the details. (Even the Commonwealth Minister for

Environment

said he wished the use of 1080 in Tasmania would stop according to the

7.30 report)

 

 

 

(Received July 5th,2001 from Premier Jim Bacon, Tasmania, Australia)

 

Dear Ms Wegner

 

Thank you for your recent email regarding the use of 1080 poison.

The Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE)

strictly supervises the use of 1080 poison in Tasmania under a number of

different Acts of Parliament and a comprehensive code of practice. At

present, 1080 poison is used in Tasmania for the control of rabbits,

Bushtail Possum, Bennetts and Rufous Wallaby, which conservatively account

for losses due to browsing of between $4.5m and $6.0m per annum in

agricultural areas and $2.8m per annum in forests. Contrary to the recent

'7.30 Report' on ABC TV, 1080 poison is not used in Tasmania to control

Native Quolls.

Tasmania is not alone in using 1080 poison. It is a product widely used in

all States and Territories of Australia and in New Zealand. Nationally,

Australia uses in excess of 110 kilograms of 1080 each year, less than 15%

of this is used in Tasmania. Senator Hill's own Department (Environment

and Heritage) relies heavily on the use of this poison for the protection

of some of Australia's rare and endangered species from introduced

predators.

The controls on the poison's use in Tasmania are considered to be as

stringent, if not more so, than in other States, Territories and New

Zealand.

It is important to remember that DPIWE has an extremely good record in the

use of 1080 poison. Human health has not been compromised by the

Department's use of the poison since it was first used for rabbit control

in the early 1950s.

While the Government supports the use of 1080 we realise non-lethal methods

of control would be preferable, if proved to be effective. To this end the

Government is involved in studies exploring alternatives and ways to reduce

the amount of 1080 poison used in Tasmania. The DPIWE, along with the

State's forest industries and Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association,

has a strong desire to find alternative non-lethal methods to reduce the

amount of browsing caused by native species. They are doing this by

investing time and resources into researching a number of alternatives to

1080 poison use.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Jim Bacon MHA

Premier

 

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To:Premier Jim Bacon,

Tasmanian Government,

GPO Box 123,

Hobart,

Tasmania

Australia 7001

 

jim.bacon

Fax +61 3 6233 2678

Phone +61 3 6233 3836

 

7th June 2001

 

 

Dear Premier Bacon,

 

Please ban the use of 1080 as an animal poison in Tasmania immediately.

 

In a recent " 7.30 report " program on ABC TV, 17/04/01, Maxine McKew quoted

Senator Robert Hill, Federal Minister for the Environment as saying he'd

like to see the day the poison is no longer used [in Tasmania].

 

The 7.30 Report said that in Tasmania, the systematic use of the poison 1080

killed thousands of possums, quolls, wallaby and pademelons.

 

The 7.30 Report interviewed Geoff Law of the Wilderness Society who says

" It's because of this massive woodchip plantation's juggernaut that there is

this reliance on this deadly poison. "

 

John Haywood, an animal rescuer was also interviewed by the 7.30 report. He

said

" On an individual level it's cruel both to the animals poisoned and to the

large numbers of pouched young that are left to starve or die of exposure. "

 

John Haywood also said [in Tasmania] you can be fined $5,000-$10,000 for

rescuing an orphaned animal yet it's comparatively easy, you know, to get a

permit to poison them.

 

I have heard anecdotal evidence saying animals dying of 1080 poisoning have

been found in

positions indicating they suffered terrible painful deaths. There were

anecdotal reports of native animals having pawed at the ground in agony as

they die.

 

Please ban the use of 1080 in Tasmania now. The poison causes a cruel and

inhumane

death to Australian native animals and may also find its way into the food

chain to poison other animals including birds of prey, dogs and cats.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Marguerite Wegner

 

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Transcript ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/s278482.htm

17/04/01

Farming poison puts Tasmania's native animals at risk

 

MAXINE McKEW: In Tasmania, the systematic use of the poison 1080 to kill

thousands of possums, quolls, wallaby and pademelons has reached a point

where the Federal Environment Minister, Senator Robert Hill, recently said

he'd like to see the day the poison is no longer used.

 

1080 poison is used by farmers and foresters to control the burgeoning

populations of native animals.

 

While 1080 is used in some other states to deal with dingoes, foxes and

rabbits, Tasmania has a particular problem because farms and timber

plantations are often right next door to bushland where native animals make

their homes.

 

And a warning here - viewers, and especially children, might find some

images in Judy Tierney's report distressing.

 

JUDY TIERNEY: Here at the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry and

Environment research station, the lethal poison 1080 is being mixed into

carrots.

 

Refer to website for the rest of the transcript..................

 

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http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2089208%255E3462,00.html

By ANNE BARBELIUK

07jun01

 

1080 fears for fishery

The Mercury

Tasmania, Australia

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2089208%255E3462,00.html

By ANNE BARBELIUK

07jun01

 

THE operator of a new tourist fishery south of Hobart fears he will be put

out of business by the use of 1080 poison on neighbouring property.

 

Stuart Gibson said yesterday rotting wallaby carcasses would do little to

enhance his burgeoning business, the Geeveston Highlands Salmon and Trout

farm.

 

" We are trying to promote a scenic wildlife fishery, with ducks, swans and

platypus in the lakes, " Mr Gibson said.

 

" But if a family comes out for a day's fishing and the kids keep falling

over wallaby carcasses, I'm not going to be very happy about it. "

 

Mr Gibson also fears the putrid carcasses will infect the water streams

leading into his two salmon and trout lakes, endangering the fish.

 

He said his 42ha property was an idyllic pocket of Tasmania which, since

opening in November, had already received accolades from interstate

professionals in the sport.

 

But a plan by a neighbouring property to begin laying 1080 poison next week

had threatened his livelihood and his lifestyle, with fears his four dogs

may also be at risk.

 

" I have to keep my dogs caged up as virtual prisoners for the next few

months in case they stumble across a poisoned carcass on the property, " he

said.

 

He said the neighbouring farmer's use of 1080 was intended to cull the

wallaby population and was entirely within the law.

 

Mr Gibson said he did not blame the neighbour for his actions but believed

the State Government should step in to help the farmer find alternatives to

1080 poison.

 

He said better fencing would help manage the situation and the Government

should offer farmers financial incentives to fence rather than poison.

 

The Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment said it was

aware of Mr Gibson's concerns and had attached special conditions to the

1080 permit as a result.

 

" The department has attached a condition to the permit requiring thorough

collection and removal of carcasses from the areas over an extended period, "

DPIWE spokesman Rod Wallace said.

 

" The condition is specifically designed to meet Mr Gibson's concerns. "

 

The Inland Fisheries Service said there was little chance a poisoned animal

would threaten a fishery because 1080 was easily broken down.

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