South Taranaki iwi shocked at threats from hunters to shoot down Department of Conservation helicopters

A Department of Conservation operation to drop 1080 from a helicopter

Threats to shoot down Department of Conservation helicopters have alarmed South Taranaki iwi Ngaa Rauru.

The threats have come from hunters angry that DoC is dropping 1080 pest control posion on Taranaki forests.

An anti-1080 group called the New Zealand Hunters sent a letter to media organisations last week, threatening "a war like no other".

It said they would bring down DoC helicopters if they dropped the controversial pesticide.
Ngaa Rauru chairperson Te Pahunga Davis said the "recent activism" was alarming and the iwi did not support the threats in any way.

"Although our preference is that forests are not treated with 1080, we acknowledge that for large remote areas like our Waitotara Forest (26,000 hectares), it is the best solution at this time to control the degradation of flora and fauna through pest destruction," Mr Davis said.

"DoC has worked closely with Nga Rauru Kiitahi to help us understand the problem, the solutions available now and the research being undertaken to identify better pest control methods.

"We encourage DoC to make it a priority to find and implement better pest control treatment methods."

He said the iwi supported protest as a process for change.

"It is only through protest that we have had basic rights redressed. However, we are shocked at this level of terrorism threat in Aotearoa and on our lands. We urge passive resistance on this matter."

The New Zealand Hunters letter said the group intended to pick up 1080 pellets and target open milk vats and the inside of meat processing companies.