The ecffect of 1080 use in new zealand forest management Literature review

The ecffect of 1080 use in new zealand forest management - Literature review Example These conditions made it possible for possum s to thrive, with estimates placing their numbers to about 60-70 million in the 1980s (Montague et al, 2000). A number of issues have arisen since the introduction of possums in New Zealand, one of them being the resultant competition for food resources with other animals. Due to their large numbers, they consume plenty of native plants and animal species in the New Zealand forests and suburban areas. They prey on birds, lizards and insects, feeding on their young ones and eggs. They can also carry and transmit the Bovine Tuberculosis disease, bringing about health concerns for humans. In 1947, the government of New Zealand officially recognized the Australian brush-tailed possum as a pest. The National Possums Control Agencies (NPC A) was formed to coordinate efforts of bringing the menace under control. Methods that have been devised and applied to control possums in New Zealand include hunting, using traps and poison. These methods are environmental free. They never cause any harm to other species. Despite the controversy surrounding some of the methods, efforts to control possums have been regarded as successful. The number of possums in New Zealand reduced to about 30 million according to figures submitted to the National Possum Control Agencies conference (Landcare Research, 2009). Sodium fluoroacetate, commonly known as 1080, is the most widely used poison against pests in New Zealand according to the Department of Conservation (2014). Not only does it eradicate possums, but also other pests like stoats and rats. Aerial application is, however, indiscriminate and kills other animals such as birds, reptiles, fish, insects, dogs, deer and pigs (PCE, 2011). As a consequence, the use of 1080 has been a contentious issue since its introduction in the 1950s. Concerns raised in opposition include the negative impact on the environment and the county s wildlife. Animal rights groups have protested what they