Thread: SPCA call out 1080 for what it is - good on you !!

I don't think anyone wants to see any animal die slowly and painfully, but what I am reading here is that if something is going to die anyway, it's probably better if it is the fast multiplying feral predator which is not a threatened species rather than the slow breeding threatened natives that otherwise would not have a chance.

A question for you all. Imagine yourselves in a place with large kiwi population, that is suddenly under attack by a stoat. You happen to be in the right place at the right time to see the stoat in question, with a single .22LR round left. Unfortunately the stoat is largely protected by a rock. Are you going to
1. take the shot and accept you may not get a clean kill, but try to protect the kiwi population and accept the stoat may die slowly and painfully OR
2. assume you might not make a clean kill and let the stoat go on with the kiwi killing business rather accept the possibility of making it suffer?

It is not the fault of the predator that it has been born here. But equally it is not the fault of the defenceless native bird that the predator has been allowed to increase.

I don't use 1080 but I do use brodifacoum and cyanide for controlling possums and rats. I've seen unbelievable native tree regrowth and new bird populations in bush remnant stands when the rats are controlled. Yeah rats die slowly with brodifacoum but I think the higher ethic fault would lie with anyone who knowingly allows them to destroy our natural heritage to avoid hurting them.

Enough hunters/trappers might be able to control rabbits, possums, goats, deer, pigs etc. But I don't see how they could control rats, mice, stoats, weasels, ferrets, cats, hedgehogs etc. And getting human control into the difficult inaccessible spots is always an issue.