Thread: Hurunui dead geese

Anyway…. poisoning was my first thought. Telling fish and game/doc was not so much about the dead geese but water quality and possible secondary posioning.

someone could have poisoned them no agency using 1080 would risk the ability to use it by such a stupid act so rule that out and 1080 has diminished effect on birds - there are a range of toxins though that the unscrupulous could use - those going down that path though have little idea on the effects their action could take - such as bi kill on endemic species - I go back to my original point about biopsy - and it could be a natural toxin involved as some have said - but if someone did put out a toxin to kill geese they need to be stopped before they tip up non target specie's and that could be a wide range fish birds invertebrates the list goes on

I spoke to a vet that worked for mpi, sounded like they may have sent someone up for a look and to retrieve some for autopsy. Got the impression they were only worried about disease.

if you get some news please let us know keen to find out

I recall a very large kill of parries on a certain west coast farm a few years ago when a poison was set for a different critter. (Not 1080) it was hushed up.

Yes it’s a river but easily crossable. Pretty choked up with didymo but definitely a steady flow. From what I’ve seen and what I’ve read here I’d say it’s definitely poison.

Is it possible it could have been a lighting strike like they get overseas quite often?

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the...on-our-borders


Could be a concern

Originally Posted by gimp

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the...on-our-borders


Could be a concern

I very much doubt such a viris would kill a large mob all at once.
The poison I allude to will aftsr a lag time put birds to sleep and unless picked up and warmed they will die of exposure. If that happennex to those geese their heads would ddroop into the water and they would drown.

yes you are likely referring to alphachloralose commercially available for bird control not a toxin but rather an anesthetic - knocks bird out to be collected and disposed of - readily available - I have used it professionally not easy to use there are problems unless one really prepares beforehand - be surprised if that was the culprit - easy to get hold of - birds normally where the poison was laid not traveling somewhere else - cant fly after ingesting that stuff - but could be - there are other nasty home brewed recipes some cockys know of - one is a herbicide mixed with wheat or maize and laid out - very illegal- - flips birds up side down - maize sweetcorn and pea farmers in Gisborne used it to try and control paradise pigeons and pheasants - wont name the herbicide but deadly effective -

Originally Posted by gimp

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the...on-our-borders


Could be a concern

Just catching up on this thread and was about to suggest that Fish and Game and MPI would be very concerned about any reports of mass bird deaths at the moment

I buy poultry out of Australia and exports to our main markets have just been banned last week due to an outbreak of bird flu in Victoria

They have a level of confidence that these outbreaks could be linked to migrating birds from Antarctica, where there are reported mass deaths from bird flu currently

Not a lot stopping it reaching our shores if it can get to Aus

Breathing can be bad for you too - good old media scaremongering

The conclusion was the no one gave a fuck. MPI said they were having trouble getting hold of the right person at doc.

The grass grub pellets are also leathal to birds bright green all of 3mm across and often chucked in with fertilizer.i saw 6-8 dead geese on paddock after it had been used..,the "oh they must have flown into irrigator" didn't wash with me.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

The grass grub pellets are also leathal to birds bright green all of 3mm across and often chucked in with fertilizer.i saw 6-8 dead geese on paddock after it had been used..,the "oh they must have flown into irrigator" didn't wash with me.

Diazinon granules for grass grub