Massive 1080 drop in national park

A massive pest control campaign has begun in Kahurangi National Park.

At 260,000 hectares, Kahurangi is the largest area the Department of Conservation (DOC) is tackling in its Battle for our Birds 1080 campaign.

The extensive predator control is in response to a heavy beech seed-fall which has driven up rodent numbers in beech forests around the South Island.

The park has been split into five operations, one of which began today. The other four will start when weather permits.

Non-toxic baits have been aerially applied in a ''pre-feed'' to familiarise the rodents with eating bait pellets, then bait containing 1080 will be dropped in the area.

DOC acting Takaka conservation services manager Greg Napp said rats were at high levels in many parts of the park.

''Without the predator control we could lose some populations of critically endangered long-tailed bats and also whio in areas where there is no trapping in place to help protect them.''

He said the operations were timed to prevent increased predator attacks on nesting birds.

In some areas, deer repellent will be added to the bait at the request of the New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association.

In addition to the Kahurangi operation, TBfree will carry out aerial 1080 pest control over 50,000 hectares of conservation land in the Mokihinui area, where high numbers of rats were recorded in August.

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Massive 1080 drop in national park