Dear Stakeholder,

Notice of Intention to Apply Vertebrate Toxic Agents:  Orautoha GS2 and GS3

Epro Limited has been contracted by TBfree New Zealand Limited to undertake Bovine Tb vector (possum) control on farmland at Pokaka (Orautoha GS2 and GS3).

Epro give notice of our intention to lay diphacinone cereal pellets, sodium fluoroacetate (1080) cereal pellets and potassium cyanide (Feratox) by hand at Pokaka.  This part of the operation will commence on 1 May 2021.

Toxin warning signs will be erected at all normal points of entry to the area prior to toxic bait being applied.

A fact pack is enclosed with this letter.  It includes a map of the area concerned and information about the operation and the toxins to be used including the precautions that should be taken.

This information has been provided to you as a stakeholder or user organisation of affected land.  Please inform any associates, members or staff who may also use this area.  Should you require further fact packs, these are available upon request from our Taupo office.

Please feel free to contact Epro if you require any further information.

Yours faithfully

Mike Reid

Operational Controller 

Operational Controller Email Contact:  control@epro.co.nz

BOVINE TB

POSSUM CONTROL FACTSHEET

WHY WORRY ABOUT TB?

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, affecting New Zealand’s cattle and deer industries.  Most new herd infections are caused by infected wild animals, mainly possums, which spread the disease to farmed cattle and deer.  TBfree is a programme of OSPRI and manages the national TB control strategy, which aims to control and eventually eradicate the disease from New Zealand.

WHY UNDERTAKE POSSUM CONTROL?

Control operations are carried out to eliminate TB from infected possums and reduce infection rates in cattle and deer herds.  The objective of this operation is to eradicate any residual traces of TB by reducing possum numbers to low levels in order to break the disease cycle. I t is vital that we control and eventually eradicate TB from New Zealand to protect our access to high-value overseas markets for our beef, dairy and deer products.

HOW TBFREE CONTROLS TB

WILD ANIMAL CONTROL – To control and contain the wild animal species responsible for carrying TB and spreading the disease to cattle and deer.  Possum control work is carried out mainly using ground-based methods, such as trapping, supported by aerial control using biodegradable sodium fluoroacetate (1080) in some areas.

DISEASE CONTROL – To control and contain the spread of the disease within cattle and deer herds through the ongoing testing and slaughter of animals suspected of having TB.

MOVEMENT CONTROL – To control the spread of the disease between infected herds and herds in high TB risk areas, supported by herd registration and regulations, such as the correct tagging of stock.

WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN MANAGING TB?

This combination of possum control, livestock movement restrictions and effective disease management has led to a drop in infected herd numbers from 1,700 in the mid-1990s to fewer than 60 in 2017.  The long-term goal is to eradicate TB from New Zealand.  In order to achieve this, TB-infected possum numbers must be kept low.

TBfree – RUA Orautoha GS2 Fact Sheet (Possum Ctrl)

Toxin Fact Sheet

Diphacinone

Bait

Diphacinone is an anticoagulant poison, which reduces the ability of the blood to clot and significant doses will cause internal bleeding and death.

Diphacinone is used to target ferrets, who along with weasels and stoats belong to the mustelid family.

Bait is a blended fish-based paste, green in colour.

Baits are applied in tunnel bait stations, along road verges, pond margins, shelter belts, river banks, fence lines and other mustelid habitat.

Amount of Bait to Kill

Species	Grams of Bait	Number of Baits
Ferret	50	0.5 to 1
Possum	80 to 100	1
Cat	100	1
Dog	200 to 500	2 to 5
Pig	20,000	200

Poisoning Symptoms in Humans

Nausea and vomiting may occur soon after ingestion; however, effects may be delayed for several days.

First Aid Treatment

Call a doctor immediately.

Give the victim a glass or two of water and cause vomiting by putting finger down throat.

Repeat until vomit fluid is clear in appearance.

Oral or intramuscularly administered vitamin K is the antidote for Diphacinone poisoning.

Poisoning Symptoms in Animals

Laboured breathing, excitability and fluid in the lungs.

Bleeding gums and increased tendency to bruising.

Blood in urine and faeces and excessive bleeding from minor cuts.

In the case of severe poisoning haemorrhagic shock, coma and death may follow.

Cautions

Do not handle any bait.

Do not allow children to wander unsupervised.

Keep all domestic animals away from tunnel bait stations.

Poison warning notices will be erected prior to the application of Diphacinone.

For further information, contact Epro Limited on 0800 ASK EPRO or the National Poison Information Centre on 0800 764 766.

 

Toxin Fact Sheet

Potassium Cyanide

Bait

Bait is in two forms, encapsulated potassium cyanide pellets and a paste.

Pellets are spherical in shape and approximately three millimetres in diameter.

Potassium cyanide will be dispensed in bait stations or stapled to trees in biodegradable bags with skull and crossbones printed on them.

Potassium cyanide pellets have to be crushed to release the poison.

All bait, pellets and paste, is green in colour.

Ferapaste is the brand name for the potassium cyanide paste.  Feratox is the brand name for encapsulated potassium cyanide pellets.

Poisoning Symptoms in Humans

Hot flushes throughout the body, vomiting, nausea, headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, difficulty in breathing and loss of consciousness.

This toxin is very dangerous if swallowed, crushed in the mouth or absorbed through skin.

If potassium cyanide comes in contact with a victim’s mouth unconsciousness can occur in ten seconds and death within minutes.

First Aid Treatment

Break an amyl nitrate capsule into a handkerchief and hold under patient’s nose for 30 seconds.  Repeat with further capsules every two minutes until patient stabilises.

Remove any contaminated clothing and wash any cyanide from skin.

Keep patient warm and call a doctor immediately.

Poisoning Symptoms in Animals

In animals, symptoms occur in rapid succession, including excitement and general muscle tremor.

Animals may salivate, pass faeces and urine, gasp for breath and eventually die.

Cautions

Although encapsulated potassium cyanide is considered safe to handle in a bait station or biodegradable bag, time or exposure to moisture can split the outer shell of the baits releasing the potassium cyanide.

Keep all domestic animals away from bait stations and biodegradable bags.

Do not handle any bait.

Do not allow children to wander unsupervised.

Poison warning notices will be erected before application of sodium cyanide.

For further information, contact Epro Limited on 0800 ASK EPRO or the National Poison Information Centre on 0800 764 766.

 

TOXIN FACT SHEET

Sodium Fluoroacetate (1080)

Bait

Bait comes in the form of carrot, cereal pellets, gel or paste.

Distribution methods include aerial based (helicopter or fixed wing) and ground based methods.

Ground methods include bait in bait stations, bait bags or applied on biodegradable cards, directly on the ground or placed in trees.

Feed baits, used to familiarise animals with the bait type, are not toxic and are not dyed.

Toxic baits are dyed green.

There are no harmful effects from the smell of baits, which are often deliberately scented to attract possums.

Amount of Bait to Kill

Species	Grams of Bait	Number of Baits
Possum	1 to 4	1
Dog	3 to 9	1
Man	48 to 132 84 to 249	4 to 11 (pellets at 0.15%) 7 to 20 (carrot at 0.08%)

Poisoning Symptoms in Humans

Nausea, vomiting, tingling and numbness in hands and face, stomach pains and anxiety.

Muscular twitching, blurred vision and mental confusion.

Coma, convulsions.

First Aid Treatment

Call a doctor immediately.

Give water, induce vomiting until vomit fluid is clear.

Dog Safety

Do not take dogs into the operational area as dogs can be killed by eating 1080 baits.

Carcasses remain toxic until completely decomposed; poison is found in the flesh and stomach content of the carcass.

The biggest risk to dogs is from scavenging carcasses that have been poisoned by 1080.

Dog muzzles can be purchased from Epro Limited, veterinary clinics or stock and station agents.

Emetic pills are available from Epro Limited’s Taupo office.

Cautions

Do not handle any bait.

Do not allow children to wander unsupervised.

Keep all domestic animals out of the operational area.

Do not take animals for eating from within the vicinity of an operational area.

Poison warning notices will be erected prior to the application of toxic 1080 baits.

For further information, contact Epro Limited on 0800 ASK EPRO or the National Poison Information Centre on 0800 764 766.