By ANNE BESTON
Millions of pellets of a type of rat poison blamed for the deaths of three tuatara are due to be dumped on a wildlife sanctuary where 40 of the reptiles live.
The rat bait almost certainly killed three tuatara at Auckland Zoo, the zoo's director, Stephen Standley, said
yesterday.
The deaths have provided ammunition to opponents of a Department of Conservation plan to dump about 35 tonnes of the bait brodifacoum, on Little Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf, where about 40 tuatara are being held in a "tuaterium" for eventual release.
Mr Standley confirmed that DoC had contacted the zoo over the deaths.
"Obviously they are talking to us to work out what sort of risk it is, and obviously that will be covered as best it can be."
Friends of the Earth director Bob Tait said the proposed $300,000 aerial bait drop on Little Barrier should immediately be put on hold.
"If they can't control brodifacoum in an environment like the zoo, how the hell do they think they can control dropping millions of pellets on Little Barrier?"
DoC wants to rid the island of kiore, an introduced species of rat, to safeguard endangered birds, in particular cook's petrel.
The plan is opposed by local iwi Ngati Wai, who argue that kiore are taonga (treasure) and the department should opt for control rather than eradication.
Mr Standley said the zoo was still investigating the tuatara deaths, but he understood that brodifacoum was the cause, even though it had not been used at the zoo for two years.
The tuatara were thought to have eaten mice that had ingested the poison.
But DoC spokesman Warwick Murray said it was "pretty implausible" that mice were to blame.
DoC hoped to lodge a resource consent application with the Auckland Regional Council next week for the Little Barrier poison drop.
nzherald.co.nz/environment
