The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

DOC investigates cattle deaths after King Country 1080 drop

The Country
19 Sep, 2018 02:10 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo / File

Photo / File

Eight cattle have been found dead on a King Country farm after a 1080 drop in the area , prompting a Department of Conservation investigation.

DOC said it appeared the cattle had breached a fence line into the pest control operational area and the department was working with the landowner to work out how it happened.

Samples of the dead animals were taken for analysis and the department expected results back within the next fortnight.

The pest control operation in Mapara took place on September 6 to target rats, stoats and possums using aerially applied 1080 baits.

The operation included comprehensive consultation with adjacent land owners.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

DOC said staff were alerted to the dead cattle on a farm adjacent to the operation area. They visited the farmer, accompanied by a vet, assessed the area and took samples from the dead animals.

The site inspection indicated cattle had entered into the operational area through a broken fence line. During a pre-flight of the operational boundary a fortnight before the drop, DOC staff noted stock in the operational area and advised the farmer to remove the animals.

Landowners Paula and Mark Stone told RNZ the communication about the operation had been poor.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They said 1080 was dropped next to the area they were told to move the cattle to rather than the bush next to the area they were moved from.

They said it was possible the animals escaped into the operation area.

DOC Operations Director David Speirs told RNZ the evidence pointed to the animals escaping on to a paddock in the drop zone.

The area is a key stronghold for kōkako on mainland New Zealand. Photo / File
The area is a key stronghold for kōkako on mainland New Zealand. Photo / File

He said no bait was found in the area where the cows were found dead.

Discover more

New Zealand

Nats target Greens on 1080 stance

13 Sep 12:18 AM
New Zealand|politics

Dead birds in 1080 Parliament protest road-kill, not 'bludgeoned'

13 Sep 07:28 PM
New Zealand

1080 whistleblower now supports its use

18 Sep 06:00 PM

Tahr cull sets conservationists against hunters

19 Sep 03:45 AM

Speirs said a review of the operational data showed the aerial drop went according to plan and as agreed with all adjacent landowners.

The helicopter GPS flight lines showed no over-flight of the adjacent farm area and there was a 50m buffer within the operational area in place, he said.

"We have been working closely with the landowner concerned to confirm exactly what happened, and also to support them as any good neighbour would under these circumstances with the burial of the dead animals and we have offered to assist with feed for the remaining animals," he said

DOC said nearly 30 years of pest control in the area had resulted in one of the most important strongholds for kōkako on mainland New Zealand and this area was a key source site for establishing new kōkako populations.

New Zealand falcons and North Island robins are also found in the reserve.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Dairy price dip won’t last long - expert

03 Jul 02:30 AM
The Country

North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

03 Jul 02:25 AM
The Country

Sir David Carter talks politics and farming on The Country

03 Jul 01:59 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Dairy price dip won’t last long - expert

Dairy price dip won’t last long - expert

03 Jul 02:30 AM

NZX head of dairy insights Cristina Alvarado said the dip in prices was not surprising.

North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

03 Jul 02:25 AM
Sir David Carter talks politics and farming on The Country

Sir David Carter talks politics and farming on The Country

03 Jul 01:59 AM
Heavy rain hits with 30 weather alerts across NZ, fibre outage and evacuations top of South Island
live

Heavy rain hits with 30 weather alerts across NZ, fibre outage and evacuations top of South Island

03 Jul 01:24 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP