Aerial drops of contentious poison 1080 remains one of the Department of Conservation's most effective tools at beating back pest numbers. Photo / John StoneResearchers have debunked a common claim that 1080 poison drops silence birdsong in New Zealand's pest-plagued forests. The researchers recommended more precautionary research into the effect of 1080 drops on tomtits. "This study confirmed that modern 1080 operations do not cause forests to go silent, and that few, if any, native birds are suffering short-term adverse effects. Almost 4000 of our known native species – among them kiwi, kākāpō and kōkako - are now threatened with extinction.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 06, 2021 22:41 UTC