A scientist has made a plea to ditch 1080 poison, a slow-to-kill toxin that causes intense suffering to creatures that ingest it and as used by the Department of Conservation over large swathes of public wilderness lands. Instead Dr Pollard proposes that wild animals be viewed as a resource and humane methods to manage numbers be used instead of cruel poisons. Her article is below.
by Dr. Jo Pollard (BSc (Hons), PhD)
Managing Wild Animal Populations Without the Cruelty of 1080
“Possums are way smarter than dogs” claimed my dog-loving friend, “way smarter”. He then told of his utter heartbreak when, as a laboratory technician, he was asked to kill all the possums he knew so well, when a research programme ended.
Animal psychologists found that possums’ (Latin name Trichosurus vulpecula) learning ability scores were “comparable with, if not superior to, those reported in earlier studies for some rodents, carnivores, and primates.”
So there is no question of possums’ abilities to suffer, after eating the 1080-poisoned food baits that are used to kill them (as used for the last 70 years), spread aerially across vast landscapes.
Observations of poisoned possums include:
“retching … vomiting … incoordinated [sic] … intermittent myoclonic spasms … repeated episodes of tremors, leg paddling … [sometimes] this activity increased in duration and severity so that it resembled a grand mal seizure … possums were sometimes propelled into the air or along the floor by these movements … Five lethally dosed possums vocalised during spasms, tremors or seizures. In two of these animals, it was loud and prolonged or repetitive during an episode.”
Imagine the horrors inflicted then witnessed by animal technicians (likely to be animal lovers) at Landcare’s facility at Lincoln, where 1376 wild-caught possums were taken for 1080 dose rate experiments, during the years 1990 to 1997. Offspring were euthanized, and most of the adults were held captive until they were accustomed to the conditions. In the experiments, the time to death after being fed the poison varied from 5-97 hours, with one possum on a low dose taking four days to die.
But, being told that possums are super-smart is unlikely to make New Zealanders dwell on their suffering. The story that possums must be killed is very deeply instilled.
The Trauma of Death by 1080
The suffering of 1080-poisoned dogs however is intolerable to those who have witnessed it. Owners remain traumatised. The dogs scream, howl, run blindly, bite at their stomach, urinate and defecate uncontrollably, convulse, vomit, froth at the mouth, vomit blood and have violent stretching seizures. A pest controller described how his dog that had been left tied up, having (apparently) earlier eaten a rabbit carcass in a 1080-poisoned area, was found dead with no teeth left. The dog had attacked everything in its vicinity, making matchwood of the kennel and ring-barking a nearby pine tree from the ground up.
Dogs are frequent accidental victims of aerial poisoning, and are at risk outside poison zones (e.g. from carcasses washed onto beaches). 1080 remains indefinitely in dried carcasses – creating a permanent risk across previously dog-friendly areas.
Dogs have been used in 1080 experiments in NZ: “the Wallaceville Animal Research Station has carried out many trials on the toxicity to various animals and on the secondary poisoning effects on dogs …” (NZ Science Review, 1959).
The story written by NZ’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in 2011, a foundational document supporting the use of aerial 1080, claimed against scientific evidence that 1080 had been rated as moderately humane.
In fact, if 1080 is the best tool in the box, as is often claimed by a Department of Conservation hell bent on destroying mammalian wildlife, that box should be very carefully, deeply, buried and sealed, along with the ideas behind its use.
The Best Way
The best tools for conservation are:
Firstly, saving enough habitat.
Secondly, knowledge, gained from careful, scientific ecological review and monitoring.
Thirdly, skilled hunters carrying out ecologically informed, targeted, humane, culling of wild animals. Our ancestors brought new animals to NZ and some of them need predators. It’s that simple, and the animals are resources:
Deer, possums and rabbits have all been used in large numbers in successful industries and their harvest supports communities.
Introduced predators can be helpful, e.g. mustelids help suppress mice, rats, possums, hares and rabbits.
Hunter groups (e.g. the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation and the Sika Foundation) have been carrying out a broad range of conservation work: managing introduced mammals (donating harvested venison to charity), maintaining tracks and huts, monitoring endangered birds and training recruits. Volunteers are doing this work.
The following is a quick comparison of aerial poison (“the best tool in the box”) and hunter-based management, of wild mammal populations.
| Wild Mammal Management | |
| Aerial 1080 poison | Hunters |
| Assumptions – that poisoning is needed (e.g. for anticipated effects of beech mast; or because area hasn’t been poisoned for a while) | Monitoring – flora and fauna for effects of animals; animal numbers and health |
| Widescale killing of target and non-target animals | Ecologically informed, monitored removal of target animals mimics predation (keeping numbers down, removing sick and old) |
| Many hours of suffering, across the animal kingdom | Instant death possible, minimized suffering (skilled operators), target animals only |
| Widescale, broad spectrum poison contamination (e.g. bait dust and fragments, leaching, runoff, in food chains), and persistence (e.g. carcasses, dry places) | No poison spread |
| Stoats prey-switching to birds (after rats are poisoned off) | No sudden removal of rats; hunters’ targets can include stoats and rats |
| Empty forest creates a void that rats breed up in, endangering rare animals | No sudden widescale, indiscriminate killing of animals. Rat plagues unlikely |
| Kills native animals – genetic loss | Native animals at low risk |
| $ millions per 1080 poisoning | Volunteers, with business and charitable support, plus donation of meat to communities |
| Predator targeted, anti-introduced animals mindset | Environment and community-based mindset, recognizing the strong influence of grazers in NZ’s original ecology |
Note: (1) Further reading: Towards ethical and effective conservation of New Zealand’s natural heritage https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/5/3/47
(2) Jo Pollard (BSc (Hons), PhD) is a scientific reviewer and author of “Towards Ethical and Effective Conservation of New Zealand’s Natural Heritage” Conservation 2025, 5(3), 47 – and author of information website 1080science.co.nz
Let us not forget the government and police tireless efforts to demonize gun owners (hunters) and restrict opportunities for access to hunting areas. We need to be training and encouraging young men and women of secondary school age to shoot and hunt and to get out in the bush and harvest the bountiful supply of our great natural resources of introduced animals rather than cruelly poisoning them and leaving them to rot. New Zealand has got it SO wrong these I despair for the future.
Totally agree with your comment. When we were kids we learnt how to shoot a firearm and could go out and shoot rabbits and hares for the table, shoot ducks in season for food and when we were old enough we were allowed to go bush hunting for deer. On the side we collected the rabbit tails and took tokens off possums and took them into the regional rabbit board and got paid a bounty. 10s-6d for ten possum tokens and 5shillings for ten rabbit tails. Over a month we could earn on the side around 20 odd pounds.
Again awesome researched and considered research by Dr Pollard.
The inhumane attitude of politicians and government agencies (e.g. DoC, ex-Animal Health Board now TBFree) is appalling. There is a glaring double standard here;- there are rules and heavy penalties for inhumane treatment of domestic stock and pet animals, but with wild animals, extreme cruelty is deemed okay.
1080 and its “sister poison”brodifacoum are slow to kill and kill in agonising fashion. 1080 takes usually over 48 hours to kill a possum.
Wild life management is unknown in NZ.
Politicians and those bureaucrats mentioned above seem to have no conscience?
DoC, or DoD (Department of Destruction) as I think of them, act like any profit-driven, empire-building corporate. But only because successive governments allow them to.
And the only party which used to offer a balance to this madness – the former Green Party – have become unrecognisable from what they used to represent.
Perhaps some group might start a “New Greens” party?
We certainly need a political group who actually care about mass poisoning of the environment.
As a Nation we must bloody SLOW DOWN with the Tragic OVERUSE of all Pesticides ASAP ! around “3 , 500 ” Tons is chucked out per year in N.Z. being far too much for a Small Country like us ? We should only use just over half that figure, a Lot is DUMPED BY OVER Application by” Heavy Handed Operators ” so our 1080 use is no Different , from the overuse of the rest of the range of Hort & Ag Chem & Fert available in N.Z. We are indeed setting ourselves up for much “MORE” Cancer all round ? as when the Toxic Chem / Poison dries out , it blows around in the Dust ? settled on our skin coupled with the very High U.V. > we cop EXTRA Dermal Sun Burn !! Hence increased SKIN Cancer , not to mention breathing it in, or it being in our Water ! NZ & AUS already has a highest amount of Skin Cancer in the World ? This Crazy overuse is really adding to the problem ! Our Government wants to save money with Health , can they please start with this ? & get it sorted . How So why Health > M.O.H. ( Medical Officers of Health ) in each district , give out all the Ratings & Poison Licence’s Tickets Etc. For Chopper / Fixed Wing Operations, also presume for some Ground Application maybe along with OSH , (Grow Safe ), depending on the type of Ag Chem / Poison / Fumigant/ Gas, wanting to be. used .
Dr Pollard has the right idea, something us hunters have said for years but no one has been listening .The use of Helicopters has proven the only humane way in which to lower the deer numbers and this was done over a very short period of time —Not 70 years As an old hunter it is music to my ears to hear Dr. Pollard speak.. With the soon change to Common law we must not do any harm and 1080 has certainly done that .Other poisons should also follow as they all do harm. With so many people around the world crying out for organic meat this is the time to do something about both problems
CORANZ strongly supports Jo Pollard’s call for a fundamental re-examination of the continued use of sodium fluoroacetate (1080) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our opposition to 1080 is long-standing and grounded in both environmental and recreational concerns. We remain unconvinced by repeated assurances that the toxin breaks down rapidly in water under real-world conditions, particularly in cold alpine and forest catchments where degradation rates are poorly understood. The use of 1080 in and around water supplies, in circumstances that appear inconsistent with manufacturer advisories, raises serious questions about risk management and public confidence.
After decades of use, pest populations persist, while many users of the outdoors report long-term ecological and experiential degradation. We support Jo’s argument that ongoing reliance on aerial poisoning reflects a failure of imagination and accountability, and that investment should instead shift toward humane, targeted, and genuinely sustainable wildlife management.
Open scientific debate, not institutional defensiveness, is essential.
Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ
How can Jo Pollards excellent well researched articles be published in off shore media or magazines as without a doubt we would gain considerable traction in the battle against 1080 poison.
Great effort Jo, it appears professional pest control contractors are left in the dark yet again, no middle ground, no fence to sit on! One wonders why extremes are always the focus. No use of toxin removes one of the most humane methods to target possums. Community groups have already shown to be funds demanding, not self supporting, embodied energy heavy and efficiency low pest control models. Surely there be room for bounty?
Dr. Pollard will not convince the people that are polluting our ecosystems with dangerously toxic substances because they are too much influenced by propaganda that manipulates their unconscious, primitive instincts and emotions.
The “authorities” who imposed their “predator free ambition” on the citizens, who are forced to fund this delusion, admitted that it was probably not possible but “we should do and pay for it anyway”.
Their “saving the birds” propaganda has misinformed most citizens of the reality of what is being done.
The “predator free ambition” has become an industry that enriches a few elite winners at the expense of the rest of the people who are THE LOSERS.
The factual evidence clearly indicates that the substances used are extremely toxic and dangerous to all living organisms that metabolize Oxygen, including our species, other mammals, fish, birds, insects and microorganisms.
The evidence also clearly indicates that the poisoning of habitats and ecosystems DOES NOT WORK and has to be repeated perpetually to keep pretending that it does work.
Lies, intended to deceive and reassure us that people are not endangered by these highly toxic substances, are told repeatedly.
NO. 1080 is not like the salt and vinegar in potato chips.
NO. There is no 1080 in one’s cups of tea.
NO. These poisons are not harmless when diluted in water.
No. They re not only used in “inaccessible” places.
No. It is not true that no-one has been harmed or killed from exposure to these deadly poisons.
No. People who are exposed to these substances are not protected from the harmful effects because toxic residues accumulate in and damage bodily tissues. That evidence is forbidden by not allowing samples of contaminated body tissues to be tested.
No. Possums do not east birds or there eggs unless starved for days to “prove” false evidence that they will eat whatever they can when they have nothing else.
No. As the posted warnings mislead us, 1080 is not just dangerous to dogs and “predators”. It is so lethal that its used is banned by the health and safety authorities in almost all other countries.
What we are definitely not told is the financial burden on productive working taxpayers who are forced to pay for this delusion and deception.
How much of other people’s money has been spent on this poisoning industry so far and how much will have to be taken and spent to keep the crooked game going?
The actual costs are not revealed but estimates indicate that 18 BILLION DOLLARS has been or will soon have been spent.
That would be enough money to provide 257,143 families with $70,000.00 to live on for one year or for one family to live for 257,143 YEARS.
That is at least $3,600.00 per citizen that has been spent and much more that will be spent on “an ambition” that has no benefit and is potentially harmful for the people who are forced to pay for it.
Are the people New Zealand dumb to stop paying for this extravagant and obviously failed dangerous EXPERIMENT or, more likely, have we all just been conned into accepting and funding this corrupt POISONING INDUSTRY?
Most people do not really care about birds and the natural ecosystems they hardly understand or spend time in but, as the crooked economic system makes them poorer, they might want to stop paying for a silly “ambition” that robs them of their incomes and endangers their environment by pollution it with them most toxic, cruel and deadly CHEMICAL WEAPONS ever invented.
It is time to tell those political celebrities we hired to work for us that we can’t afford to keep paying for the silly projects they waste our money on without our knowledge and agreement.
The Green Party fully supports and wants more of this horrifically cruel poison spread over NZ’s conservation estate.
On the other hand they vigorously campaign against pig farrowing crates, live export, dog racing, caged hens etc, which is commendable, but in none of those activities are the animals being tortured to death.
NZ’s Animal Welfare Act is a good piece of legislation, but it makes an exception in Part 30A, “A defendant has a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) or (2) if the defendant satisfies the court that the conduct alleged to constitute an offence is or is part of a generally accepted practice in New Zealand for the hunting or killing of wild animals of that type or animals in a wild state of that type”.
So torturing animals to death by DoC is a “generally accepted practice in NZ”
New Zealand’s wild venison deer meat recovery which was once a very profitable overseas income for the country was stopped in its tracks over night when the EU countries that consumed most of the wild venison discovered traces of 1080 in the meat. To stop DOC and unscrupulous promoters of using the 1080 poison! all one has to do is somehow get the message out that the use of indiscriminate use of 1080 here in NZ to countries that buy our dairy products and meat products would end its use overnight.
I fully endorse Dr Jo Pollard’s proposals.It’s high time we stop the inhumane method of pest control that is 1080. The inhumane method has been well researched for many years by Jo Pollard.
If we could only record the sounds of the forest life, from the microbes to the deer and dogs after a poison drop I’m sure we would be horrified at the cacophony of the sound of creatures in agony.
I personally have been into a NZ Native bush block after it had been 1080 poisoned. The block was east of Rua’s track above Lake Waikaremoana, Mangapouhata area going down to toward Puanui Stn. side and the whole bush reeked of a deadly silence. No bird or animal life, No insects sounds. Just a dead void.
I fully enforce Dr. Jo Pollard’s proposals. It’s high time we stop the inhumane method of pest control that 1080 is.
If we could only record the sounds of the forest creatures after a poison drop, from the microbes to the deer and dogs, I’m sure we would be horrified at the cacophony.