Ask New Zealand to Stop Use of Rat Poisons That Kills Area Wildlife

Please sign and share this petition in an effort to stop New Zealand from the continued use of rat poisons in order to get rid of the rodent infestations. In doing so, they are putting all other wildlife in danger, killing many animals other than the rodents they intend to target. This is causing a real concern for the environment and extinction of the resident wildlife.

Many concerned people in New Zealand are unhappy with the government's approach to rodent issues with invasive rat poisons. Thames-Coromandel General Constituency Councilors have documented the wide range of animals and birds poisoned in the forests of New Zealand, providing graphic evidence of the war that the government of New Zealand has declared against its own environment. These practices also affect domestic livestock that many people rely on.

In other studies, a native Weka or chicken-sized ground-swelling bird was seen feeding on the carcass of a bushy-tailed possum. The problem with that is that any dead animal, bird or insect killed by the poison is toxic to any other animal, bird or insect that eats it, known as Secondary Poisoning. Among the wildlife threatened by indiscriminate poisoning is one of the most intelligent birds on earth, an endangered parrot named the Kea. Not only do kea love to eat the poisonous pellets, but they also scavenge poisoned carcasses, causing these birds to die in high numbers every year. Most other New Zealand land bird species such as the Kiwi, Weka, Falcon, Owls and Swamp hen risk being killed by feeding directly on baits poisoned with Compound 1080 or by eating poisoned prey.

Birds like the Kiwi used to be tagged and monitored; but when a vast number were found dead, they were not tested for 1080 rat poison residues, especially in the Tongariro forest frequently affected. Now with little monitoring, it appears to be structured to avoid any indication that the poison could be affecting non-target species. In fact, it is not just birds being targeting with these poisons. The broad-spectrum rat insecticide is found in more than 50 percent of insects. A majority of animals eat these infected insects, causing the Secondary Poisoning. A scientist also discovered that the residual dust generated from the helicopter hoppers was capable of killing insects, months after a drop.

Contamination goes beyond the forests areas and extends to water systems. Following each aerial drop, the pellets and the carcasses which fall in or near the streams are left to decompose, where they fall, and can contaminate the aquatic food chain, which has an impact for months, depending on decomposition rates. It is a continuing problem that eventually leads to humans who consume any domestic animals and aquatics. There needs to be a better system of controlling rodents without harming other wildlife, water ways and domestic animals.

Please sign and share this petition in an effort to stop New Zealand from the continued use of rat poisons in order to get rid of the rodent infestations. In doing so, they are putting all other wildlife in danger, killing many animals other than the rodents they intend to target. This is causing a real concern for the environment and extinction of the resident wildlife.