Wildlife threatened by poison
By Leonie Cameron
BONANG, Vic — A poison used against feral animals, known as 1080, is posing a threat to wildlife in East Gippsland public forests. The poison causes cardiac arrest and/or collapse of the central nervous system. It takes a long time to kill an animal — from 24 hours to seven days, and always with extreme suffering.
Despite assurances of "all care taken", the poisoned carrots can be taken by many herbivorous native animals and continue along the food chain.
The first attempt to introduce 1080 came at the end of 1990, when the Department of Conservation and Environment (DCE) tried to get permission to use it on wallabies north of Cann River. The wallabies' browsing of young trees in logged coupes was blamed for regeneration failure.
Fortunately, leaks from the department alerted the Concerned Residents of East Gippsland (CROEG). CROEG launched a campaign which eventually convinced the minister, Steve Crabb, to decide against using 1080 for forest management. The ongoing problem of poor regeneration of logged forests was simply put to one side. The clear-felling continued.
In May 1992, under a new minister, CROEG learned that the regional DCE had made a new attempt to use 1080.
It appears the plan is to use 1080 not just in failed regeneration coupes, but in clear-felled coupes in National Estate forests logged only last season: coupes which have not yet been assessed. That is, animals could be poisoned before a regeneration problem has even been established.
The decision about whether or not to go ahead with 1080 is now up to DCE minister Barry Pullen. Fortunately, he is open to scientific information on the issue.
A possible solution to the problem comes from the United States, where 1080 has been banned for 20 years. There, they are successfully using selenium pellets in the soil under seedlings, making them unpalatable to browsers. Another possibility is to use tree guards, as in Tasmania.
Of course, these options are unfortunately bandaid solutions to the overwhelming and underlying problem of poor regeneration from clear-fell operations in the high elevation forests. The DCE appears unable to admit the problem. Logging continues alongside such coupes, where regeneration is up to 13 years behind. [From Potoroo Review.]