New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
The use of poison eggs for the control of stoats
PETER DILKS
Science and Research Unit
Department of Conservation
Private Bag 4715
Christchurch
BARRY LAWRENCE
Malaghans Road
RD 1, Queenstown
Abstract Stoats (
Mustela erminea) are an important
predator of many forest bird species in New Zealand, and more effective methods
for their control are being sought. Stoat control using Fenn traps has been
shown to prevent predation on mohua (
Mohoua ochrocephala), but this
technique is labour-intensive and costly to use for protection of large areas
of habitat. We evaluated 1080 delivered in eggs as a poison for control of
stoats. The lethal dose has been determined by captive and field trials, but
attempts to implement a large-scale control operation have given inconclusive
results. To clarify the effectiveness of 1080 eggs as a control technique, we
carried out further field trials with radio-tagged stoats in the Makarora
Valley. Twenty animals were monitored by radio tracking, and data loggers and
video cameras recorded their visits to bait stations. The precise time an
individual stoat ate a poison egg could be determined from data logger and
video information, and its fate was followed. Sixteen of twenty stoats were
killed by 1080 eggs, three died of other causes and one remained alive at the
end of the trials.
Keywords stoat; predator control; 1080; poison eggs; radio
tracking; video monitoring
Z99041
Received 29 April 1999; accepted 4 April 2000
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2003K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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