Possums pounded in Pirongia 1080 drops
19 Jan 2021 14:12 PM
Photo: Getty Images.
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The Department of Conservation says its pest control operation on Mount Pirongia, including a 1080 drop over 14,000 hectares, has been a success.
Biodiversity ranger Cara Hansen says monitoring shows a reduction in possum numbers, giving species such as rata trees, kokakō, pekapeka or bats and the rare parasitic plant Dactylanthus the opportunity to thrive.
“The removal of possums — and other predators such as stoats and rats — at Pirongia means the many forest bird species found there will be able to successfully raise clutches of chicks.
“Controlling predators also allows the forest canopy to recover, improving the forest’s health and providing important habitat for native species,” she says.