Feral Animal
Control
Brief:
Opossums were introduced to N.Z from their native homeland Australia in the late 1800,s and again in the early 1900's with the intention of developing a fur trade industry. Little was known, considered or understood at the time about the possible resulting destruction and threat this presented to our native forests, horticulture and farming.
In Australia the possum is naturally controlled by predators and is a protected animal. In New Zealand we now have a multi-million dollar business focused on controling possums as they have no natural predators other than man, dogs and wild pigs.
Current poison campaigns are designed to reduce or halt possum population growth. It was said that possum populations have reached a density of 33 per hectare in some central areas of Northland. Just imagine how many possums could live at your place if they were left uncontrolled!!
Resulting impacts of high possum population are vegetation death, seedling supression, bird's eggs, young chicks and insects eaten. Further threats are that possum population may have been exposed to TB positive livestock when grazing grasslands, if this occurred the disease would spread quickly in areas having a higher population.
Many different methods are used to control possums. Poison's like 1080, cyanide, pest off and talon have been used with varing results. New Zealand uses 80% of the worlds production of 1080, a poison which has been banned in many countries. 1080 has been used in New Zealand for around 50 years for control of both possums & rabbits. 50 years of possum control later and we still have a big environmental and economic problem.
Possums in Northland breed at a rate of 3 young every 2 years effectively renewing the pre-pest control program population every 4-5 years -that is, after a pest control program that targeted a 80% kill!
Most areas within New Zealand are only regionally pest controlled every 5-10 years.
It is our belief that current possum control operations are only causing fluctuations in populations similar to that of farming livestock!!
Please contact Shane (021 326563)