The media attention is back on pests such as rats and stoats as the Department of Conservation (DOC) gears up for one the largest predator control operations ever attempted in New Zealand.
Aerial 1080 drops will be getting underway in Kahurangi National Park later this month, as part of a national effort to combat soaring rat and stoat numbers in the conservation estate.
This year’s large beech flowering and mast seeding event has created a huge increase in food supplies for rodents, and native birds are expected to be next on the menu as the bumper seed crop runs out.
The Science Media Centre this week held a briefing with scientists from DOC, Landcare Research and University of Canterbury, where they explained some of the science behind the increased seed numbers, booming predator population and the control methods need to keep them in check.
You can watch a recording of the briefing here.
Media coverage of the increased DOC efforts includes:
The Press: 1080 drop to cover 700,000 ha
3 News: DOC ramps up war on pests
MSN News: Poisoning blast may prevent extinctions
3 News: Blast of 1080 may prevent extinctions