Thanks to Reader Wil for her possum post which inspired me to do it again.
photo shows an Australian possum. This is a special possum and is protected.
1080 is the brand name given to the synthetic version of sodium fluoroacetate - a toxic, odourless, white powder compound, which naturally occurs in plants, acting as a powerful defence. However the synthetic version, 1080, is far more potent and kills. New Zealand is the largest buyer of 1080 in the world, using over 80 per cent of the chemical produced.
1080 is distributed in laced bait via ground and aerial application by the Department of Conservation (DoC) and the Animal Health Board (AHB). It is mainly used to kill possums, however other ‘pests', including feral cats, rabbits, rats and stoats, are also targeted.
1080 is banned in several countries, including Brazil, Belize, Cuba, Laos, Slovenia and Thailand, as well as in some states of the United States where aerial distribution and its use on all mammals but coyotes is prohibited.
Possum and rat invade nest (Source: Nga Manu Images)
When I went to Australia,
the tour guide said a joke,
In Australia, the possum there is protected.
In New Zealand, we kill them.
http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/
4 comments:
Thanks for your post! Possums look so cute but seeing the photo of the possum killing the birds, I can understand that they are a pest for the NZ environment.Introducing species from outside the country is dangerous
Wil, ABCW Team.
I am against all furs made of animal fur ! Nuisance or not, let nature do its work. Each time humans interfere into nature it becomes a catastrophe !
Thank you, Ann. I also took my photos from a source., because it is difficult to find possums which want to pose for a photographer!
Interesting post. I didn't realize that they are a big pest in some countries. We have them but I don't think of them as being a problem here. Carver, ABCW-Team
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