Saturday, February 27, 2010

GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE PENALTY FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY

Good on the government, who are about to pass a bill that increases the penalty for animal cruelty, from 3 years to 5 years imprisonment, for extreme cases. That's all very nice.....to the naive!

However, it is the New Zealand Government that inflicts the greatest crimes against animals in this country.
Through the use of their aerial poisoning operations (1080 & Brodificoum) they kill and torment 100's of thousands of animals, birds, insects and aquatic life every year, in a way that, if viewed on television, would make the hardest slaughter man feel sorrow.

But, just in case you don't believe me, please take the time to watch the following clips.
A drop has just taken place on Mt. Taranaki. 33,000 hectares.
The animals who died there, had to endure hours of suffering. Surely you can afford a few minutes to understand what these animals went through?

Obscene Cruelty Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrCQZ1B4ks0

Obscene Cruelty Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gCwIxIOxds

END SONG:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smp2TdbOPaI

Thursday, February 25, 2010

1080 & HONEY

The following headline introduced a letter in the latest Organic NZ magazine:

1080 stops organic honey exports to USA

The author then tells his story.....

"I was audited in September 2009 by AsureQuality to make sure my honey
meets the standarts for the USDA National Organic Program ( NOP).

The standards are:

1/ All apiaries must be 3km from any farming operation, or forestry. The
area must be wild managed.

2/ No formic or oxalic acid is allowed for control of varroa.

3/ Sugar feeding is allowed (organically certiefied sugar)

I met all the above criteria. I told AsureQuality that both sites had been
subject to areal 1080 drops.
This then stopped me exporting honey to the USA using the USDA NOPs label.
So the message for banning 1080 must get international publicity.
No one can meet the NOP standart- AsureQuality or Bio Gro. " Ends.


This is an issue that was going to be raised in Poisoning Paradise, but it was culled because we weren't aware of any incidents affecting the industry directly.

1080 is highly toxic to insects, including bees. The late invertebrate specialist, Mike Meads (1938-2009), found that when a 1080 operation is undertaken, dust and particles (which are clearly visable in several scenes in Poisoning Paradise) are enough to kill invertebrates on the ground, weeks after the drop. Meads recommended, back in 1994, that long term studies should be done in regard to the effects of 1080 on inverebrates. When we interviewed him he said...."In 1994, when I did my study, I recommended long term studies should be done.....it's now 2008, have any studies been done?...not a one!"

On 3 occasions while filming PP, we came across behives that had had 1080 dropped directly onto them, or within a few hundred metres.

We filmed one episode in Thames, where the bait was dropped directly onto the live hives.
Another episode was in Oamaru. In that instant, we filmed 6 weeks after the drop, and there were piles of dead bees around the hives. This was around winter time. What killed the bees is unknown, as they were not tested.

Another incident was near St Arnaud, where 1080 pellets were dropped directly onto snow covered hives. This drop was undertaken straight after a fresh snow fall, and the baits were dropped directly into the snow. It probably equates to dropping directly into water, when you think about it.

There are many rural industries affected by the use of aerial poisoning operations, some we are probably not even aware of...yet. Taking these issues into account, surely the use of 1080 in a small country like New Zealand with an image to uphold, makes it a foolhardy practice!

Friday, February 19, 2010

DOC critiques anti-1080 documentary Poisoning Paradise

Well, here it is - DOC's critique of the documentary Poisoning Paradise. Click on the link below to have a read.

Critique paper of Graf DVD

If it looks like you have a blank page, scroll down and you will see the heading half-way down their first page.


In our opinion, this paper holds little value, apart from drawing attention to the issue raised in it. What is of more importance is what the authors have failed to raise, that is included in the documentary.

Over the next few weeks, Steve and I, and the scientists that are still alive (Mr Mike Meads passed away in December) will be responding to the paper - which, to the uninitiated, is a smoke screen!

DOC critique of anti-1080 DVD - Poisoning Paradise

The critique paper of Poisoning Paradise, prepared by Department of Conservation, will be posted here on Monday the 22nd of February.
This report has been quietly passed around regional councils, and no doubt, other official and instrumental government departments, by DoC and their allies in poison.
The hope is, one would guess, that it will reduce the impact this film is having, and these targeted departments will ignore the clear messages in Poisoning Paradise, by not viewing it and not investigating the evidence in it.
It will not work! There are, thank goodness, many clear thinking and open minded individuals in positions of influence that will see this paper for what it is - a smoke screen!

Monday, February 8, 2010

1080, A FERTILISER, NOT A PESTICIDE - DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

TVone news, tonight - www.tvone.co.nz -, presented a story that (apparently) proved the deadly pesticide 1080 causes a New Zealand native vine, Rata, to flower. This was propaganda at its best! What a load of non-sense! Firstly, the area that was shown - on the side of the road - did not require aerial 1080 poison! It could have been managed in a way that doesn't destroy the native wildlife - namely, man on the ground, trapping. Secondly, there is no evidence 1080 helps Rata, in any way. Possum control may, but that does not mean aerial 1080 is the method. Steve Graf has just filmed a great display of Rata in the Te Urewra National Park. Guess what? It's never had 1080 anywhere near the area he filmed. And, to add - there are certainly possums present. He also filmed Mistletoe, another possum favourite - and a reason for the use of aerial 1080, according to DoC - in perfect flower. Steve also has photos, from a book, that shows magnificent Rata flowering in the Otira region - in the 1960's - when there were plenty of possums!
So what's happening, why are DoC so desperate to deceive the public? It's simple really - the government owns the factory that imports 1080. It is set in stone, the 1080 policy - that any government funded study on 1080 must show benefit. Of course, not one ever has. Expect this non-sense from DoC to continue, as long as they remain a bureaucracy, and the 1080 factory remains in governemnet hands.

Friday, February 5, 2010

50,000 KG'S OF YUMMY FOOD TO BE DROPPED INTO FIORDLAND

It's true! 50 tons of attractive, cereal food has been approved to be dropped into the Waitutu Valley, Fiordland. DoC are holding hands with Environment Southland, for this project.
The drop is being undertaken to protect Mistletoe, and Kaka, from increasing possum numbers - so they tell us! Just keep in mind that possums have only one young per year - and on rare occassions - twins. They do not breed like rabbits. Their populations don't, and can't, explode.

The drop will take place this winter, when the animals and birds are more hungry. It's a bit like throwing lollies in front of a toddler, really. Any animal, bird, insect, or aquatic organism is going to gobble this food up.
So what's the problem? Well, unfortunately for the wildlife, the food will be laced with the deadly pesticide, 1080. 1080 has no taste, it has no smell, and has no antidote.
And just to make sure the wildlife "takes the bait", there will most likely be a pre-feed drop. The pre-feed drop is undertaken about a week before the real thing, to gain the confidence of the forest creatures. This dummy run, bait drop, includes no poison. It's about a week later that the "Mistletoe-Kaka saving" poisonous food is offered.

This DoC sponsored food-poison drop - into one of the most pristine, natural parts of the world - is arrogant, ignorant, and ecocide. It's a criminal offence, in my opinion, plain and simple.
Taking into account that there is not (even after 17 years of trying) a single, credible, scientific study that shows a net population benefit to any native species through the use of aerial 1080 poison - not one - they press on!

It is estimated this operation will cost $600,000, and cover 25,000 hectares.
It is known that a single ground operator, trapping and using cyanide (a non secondary poison), can manage 4000 hectares, per year.
The $600,000 set aside for this operation could employ 24 ground operators, paid $25,000 each as a retainer, for 1 year, managing only 1000 hectares each - and what's more, these ground operator guys target only possums, mustilids, and rats - not the whole ecosystem!!!

It has to stop, and I for one, certainly hope this drop will not take place, and further more, I would like to know that the irresponsible, crazy pratice of aerial poisoning operations is banned before this lunacy comes to fruition in Fiordland. If you're opposed to this planned poison assault on Fiordland, and would like to voice your opinion, please visit www.thegrafboys.org, and follow the links to the government ministers, and let them know your opinions. Environment Southland ticked this project off, their web address is www.es.govt.nz. It's also worth visiting www.doc.govt.nz, and start educating them about the viable alternative - ground control.