We would love to hear your opinion on the use of 1080 in New Zealand.
Especially if you have a story to tell, or have facts to back up your argument.
If you would prefer to keep your comments off the blog site, you can e-mail them to us directly at 1080documentary@gmail.com
Hiya,
I had a craft stall at the weekend and the lady in the neighbouring stall had an entire stall full of possum fur goods. Rugs, hats, gloves, socks, it was great. Possum fur is so warm- my father reckoned they were the warmest socks he ever owned.
Now I realise possum fur crafts are not going to solve the possum problem as effectively as 1080 could; but one thing the stall lady said got my attention- if the possums are killed by 1080 they can’t use their fur for their crafts.
I just wanted to know why that is- does it get into the fur of animals??
Carla
It’s not so much that 1080 poisoned possums can’t be used for their fur. As i understand it, in order to collect the fur it is easiest when the possums are still ‘warm’ i.e withing no more than a few hours of them being killed so this is easiest done with traps/shooting etc.. With 1080 it can take too long to locate the possum because they move around after ingesting the poison and so fur removal is very difficult.
Amazing, I did not heard about that up to now. Thx!!
Hi there, I was quite convinced by the arguments put forward in the Graf brothers’ film ‘Poisoning Paradise’. Does your film refute a lot of what they say?
Hi Nathan,
Our aim was to produce something that we feel is an informative, balanced viewpoint of the 1080 debate.
We have allowed people on both side of the debate to put forward their opinion, and also given some information from scientists about certain aspects of the discussion.
We hoped to communicate the main issues to the general public, who in my mind have previously been swayed by over dramatic media headlines, and the miscommunication of scientific information. Or aim was not to say whether 1080 is right or wrong, but to give the public the basic information, and hopefully encourage them to find out more for themselves.
I agree that the Graff Brothers do make some convincing arguments, but they only really show the viewpoint of one side of what is a very complicated debate. We do not specifically refute anything that they say, but we have tried to be as impartial as possible, and the feedback we have received suggest we have achieved that.
Happy to send you a copy. ($16.95 to cover production cost+ Postage)
just e-mail me your address to badwolffilms@gmail.com
Pete
The way I see it, Clyde & Steve Graf have shown the “other” side of the 1080 issue in Poisoning Paradise as “the people’s” answer to the million dollar glossy brochured propaganda put out by 1080 proponents, which incidentally is paid for by our taxpayer money and farmers levies. These government departments of course have their own agenda – a multi million dollar business to keep the possum projected as an evil threat against our country. This is grossly exaggerated beyond belief and if you look at genuine (overseas) studies of possum diet you will find no birds found in their stomach contents, just a few insects.
If you take time to look at all the evidence provided by both sides you can make up your own mind.
@Kate “if you look at genuine (overseas) studies of possum diet you will find no birds found in their stomach contents, just a few insects”
I am unsure as to what yo mean by “genuine (overseas) studies”. Are you suggesting that studies conducted in NZ are not reliable or are somewhat doctored? There are a number of studies that clearly document possums consuming bird eggs in NZ. In addition, it is also likely that rats would consume 1080 bait which, are undoubtedly a serious threat to native birds.
I’m a more than a little concerned with the conviction of some people after watching one film.
Its a scary thought that they can be so easily convinced with one side, and so close minded to other versions of the story. This kind of blind conviction is how the likes of hitler convinced everyone around him, and his country to commit war crimes and attrocities against his own people.
Lets watch this film and stack up the arguments from both sides before we jump to conclusions. I haven’t seen it yet, but anything would be better than the dangerously overhyped and dramatised film produced by the graf brothers.
When I read some of the flying accusations and wild claims being made by the opposers it just reinforces how drastically misinformed and hysterical their arguments are getting. For example suggesting that possums are an exagerated threat to prop up a 1080 industry is quite the claim! Perhaps those who believe that should pay a visit to many areas of NZ that have been ravaged by possums, to see the destruction caused first hand. Then maybe they will see what they stand to lose by allowing possums to go forth and multiply in some of the last remaining tracts of NZ’s relatively unscathed native forests.
Our endemic forests and the birds within them are a national treasure, they are a part of our identity, without them we are just another island in the pacific. NZ, who cares..just another part of britain isn’t it? Lots of farms, not alot else going for it..
thats the way we’re heading if we stall current efforts to prevent further biodiversity loss at the hands of introduced mammals and predators. There are many well reasoned arguments for 1080, and from what I can see, lots of hysteria and often questionable arguments against. 1080. Its not the silver bullet, but it certainly is something. As much as the concerns are highly worth bringng to attention I don’t think an outright ban is worth even considering until we find a better way of controlling possums and rodents in NZ.
I get the feeling there is somewhat of a self reassuring culture occuring in the hotbeds of this debate, notably on the West Coast of the Sth island. If you’re seen to not believe in their side of the story over there, you must be the enemy.
Thats going a bit far now isn’t it?
This has become a war of propaganda by those opposing 1080. And scaremongering is the oldest trick in the book.
At least I hope this film sits on the fence and weighs up all sides of the argument. It would be a refreshing change.
Nick
Nick,
You hit the nail on the head. The Graf Boys film is the most biased and one-sided ‘doco’ that I have ever seen. I’m sure they are only concerned that there are less deer for them to kill themselves.
NZ is unique and worth protecting.
Emma
Hi, we are writing a persuasion and we are against the fact of 1080 poisoning because it killing wildlife and little kids could eat the poison and die..
Hi, We welcome comments from both sides of the debate on this site, especially ones that are inciteful and help advance the discussion.
We will not however allow rude or personal comments, which is why I have not published one or two of the recent comments posted.
Pete
What strikes me as interesting in this particular debate is not whether 1080 is good or bad, but the fact that the issue of alternative applications is curiously absent from discussion. 1080 advocates are quoted in several media forums as saying “it’s not ideal but it’s the best we have”. Really is it? In this day of scientific advent, surely we cannot combine the delivery features of 1080 which appear to be cost effective and readily applicable with say reproduction inhibitors, rather than poison. This is purely my opinion and is based entirely on an idealistic notion but if they can put chemical sterilisation into a drug for other animals, then why not for possums?
Would welcome any constructive comments on this aspect of the debate.