Thread: Whataroa kea

https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast
More Doc problems and ignorance with the upcoming 1080 drop in whataroa with keas eating the prefeed.
How bloody stupid are these conservationists??? Of course keas are going to eat 1080 ffs.

Sheer stupidity.

Who is ZIP? Where do they get all this money, just to waste it on something this dumb

Originally Posted by Fat ninja

Who is ZIP? Where do they get all this money, just to waste it on something this dumb

They are the pest control contactor and the money is from our tax.

ZIP = Morgan et al.

Lets train the kea to scavenge carcasses more so they they can look for dead animals post drop and die of secondary poisoning.

Originally Posted by ethos

Lets train the kea to scavenge carcasses more so they they can look for dead animals post drop and die of secondary poisoning.

That is spot on there ethos, but of course, there will be some other reason for them dying

Unexpected outcomes Ethos, who would have thought, certainly not a left leaning pen pusher!

Originally Posted by Fat ninja

Who is ZIP? Where do they get all this money, just to waste it on something this dumb

ZIP = zero invasive pests

http://zip.org.nz/#newsletter

I see they are looking for rangers so if any of you can count to 30,000 on one hand maybe you can apply

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Again, I'm not going engage with the mindless hateful posts, but there are a couple of things worth noting:

1: If this operation is successful, possums will be eradicated from that block. ZIP have successfully eradicated possums entirely from a smaller area last year down near Haast, there is a good chance that they will succeed here. The Whataroa/Perth only receives 1080 for possum control (every so often when monitoring shows high numbers). If possums are eradicated, it will never be 1080'd again. That's a win for everyone, surely.

2: Kea already eat dead tahr, and there is no shortage of dead tahr in the Whataroa/Perth tops. A few more carcasses dropped up there will not train them to do anything new.

The problem with "eradicating" possums from an area using 1080 is that it also eradicates a whole a shit tonne of other species at the same time, its indescriminate and DOC is kidding themselves by thinking anything other than that.
I haven't read up on this latest drop but from what I understand they are attempting to encourage Kea to stay on the tops and feed from carcasses whilst the drop goes on?
Kea by their very nature are inquisitive creatures and they also travel vast distances seemingly out of pure curiosity, it's a joke to think that they're not going to pick up baits based solely on the assumption that there's plenty of dead tahr laying about for them to feed on, I have found a Kea nest before and it was quite comical the amount of random objects the cheeky buggers had stashed there, 1 308 case, a couple of plastic spoons, bits of string, and all manner of trinkets they had pinched on their travels, if their are baits laying about, they will at least pick them up if not eat them then and there not to mention probably having a bit of a poke around any dead possums they find also. What is also amazing in that area is just how high up above the bushline possums can be found

Its a big risk to drop 1080 into such an important kea habitat when its well known how inquisitive and curious the kea are by their nature.
They have witnessed them eating the prefeed so its a given they will eat the 1080 pellets.
The carcasses of tahr have been scattered through the area since the beginning of the tahr ballot and yet they are still consuming prefeed baits so how will this help to distract them from the bait?

Its a difficult issue as the possum problem needs addressed but its a huge gamble to use aerial 1080 and given the fact they are consuming prefeed then is it prudent to continue?

What percentage of kea mortality will be acceptable given the net benefits to the envirnoment?

Eradication of possums from one small area is pointless unless the plan is to hammer everywhere.
I know of places there were no possums in the 70's but have healthy populations now.
If Zip works the plan will be to blanket the country.
Doc also claimed at one time they would never use 1080 again if they killed kea.



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This reference to eradication is nonsense., We were camped in the Whataroa in March 2012 following a 1080 operation which aimed to eradicate possums. No doubt it was effective; there was no sign of any possums.........or deer.........or birdsong.
So that "eradication operation" has lasted 6 years and still DOC's propaganda machine rolls on.

Originally Posted by Bos

This reference to eradication is nonsense., We were camped in the Whataroa in March 2012 following a 1080 operation which aimed to eradicate possums. No doubt it was effective; there was no sign of any possums.........or deer.........or birdsong.
So that "eradication operation" has lasted 6 years and still DOC's propaganda machine rolls on.

The appearance of birdsong levels is not an accurate or reliable measure of mortality or bycatch. It is anecdotal evidence at best.
There is credible independant science around the by catch and mortality rates of native birds.

Believe it or not, there are people both within doc and outside of doc that have a real vested interest and passion for our native flora and fauna. It's not all propaganda and in most cases 1080 does have a real measurable (positive) effect on bird populations.

Is it an ideal tool? Hell no. It's non specific and imo pretty cruel. But the issue is nowhere near as black and white as it's made out to be, and there is as least as much misinformation from the anti side as there is from the pro doc media.