Rabbit control in Wharewaka and Five Mile Bay
Wednesday 3 September 2008, 10:19AM
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Out of control rabbit population is to be addressed by using toxic bait in Wharewaka and 5 Mile Bay.
Taupo District Council and the Department of Conservation have contracted EPRO Ltd to address the problem of rabbits on their land in the Wharewaka and 5 Mile Bay areas.
John Ridd, Community Policy and Planning Manager says, “The rabbits are really out of control in these areas and we will be using cereal baits to address the rabbit population before the breeding season causes even more of a problem.”
He says the exercise is weather dependant as two consecutive fine days are required to ensure the bait does not degrade. “We are using pindone which is a low potency poison and breaks down quite easily - although it does mean the exercise needs to be repeated to get a good result. We will be using cereal bait which is dyed green.”
Mr Ridd says they are advising dog owners not to bring their dogs into the area during September as they may become ill if they ingest the bait or rabbit carcasses. “We have let the vets and pet shops in the area know what we are doing, so if any dogs do enter the area and subsequently become lethargic or ill, owners should get them to the vets immediately and the effects can be reversed.” He says carcasses will be removed from public places daily.
It is also recommended that children are not allowed in the areas unsupervised. “We are informing households in the immediate vicinity and will be publicising the exercise widely to ensure people are aware of the risks. We will also have signage in the areas and at entry points.”
He says care will be taken when distributing the bait to keep some distance from the foreshore so the bait doesn’t go into the Lake. “Although there would not be any health risks, there are cultural reasons that need to be respected with regards to the Lake.”
It is expected this stage of the rabbit control exercise will be over by the end of September when the school holidays begin. Stage 2 is scheduled to take place later in October and will involve fumigation and night shooting to complete the exercise.