sodium fluoroacetate

Predictive and conceptual models are used to examine the contamination, toxicology, and residues of sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) in relation to its application in vertebrate pest control programmes on forest and pastoral lands.
As a pesticide, the toxin appears to be neither mobile nor persistent. Exceedingly slender opportunities exist therefore for significant contamination of susceptible components of the environment.

Ongoing investigations into bird mortality caused by aerial 1080 poison operations to suppress pest populations will be required because the operational specifications continually change and improve. We summarise recent studies of bird deaths following 1080 operations and present six principles for use in prioritising future research into poison risk for bird populations. A decision tree (and supporting flow diagram) shows how the need for new surveys can be evaluated using these principles.

We collated 48 surveys of individually banded birds or birds fitted with radio transmitters that were checked before and after 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) baits were aerially distributed to control brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in New Zealand forests. The surveys were associated with 34 pest control operations from 1986 to 2009 and covered 13 native bird species, of which four were kiwi (Apteryx spp.). Sample sizes ranged from 1 to 46 birds (median 15). In 12 cases a sample of 1 to 42 birds (median 13) was surveyed in an untreated area at the same time.