DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Title

WHY DO POSSUMS SURVIVE AERIAL POISONING OPERATIONS?

Authors

D. R. Morgan, Forest Research Institute, New Zealand Forest Service, Christchurch, New Zealand
C. L. Batcheler, Forest Research Institute, New Zealand Forest Service, Christchurch, New Zealand
J. A. Peters, Forest Research Institute, New Zealand Forest Service, Christchurch, New Zealand

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

March 1987

Major causes of failure of aerial poisoning operations against possums identified were: sublethal toxic loading, undersize sublethal baits, nonlearned behavioral aversion to 1080, and failure to encounter bait. Dislike of bait was not a major cause of failure.

Progress has been made towards solving these problems, but failure to encounter bait remains a likely major reason for possums surviving aerial poisoning. Improvements in the aerial sowing of bait are essential if the full benefit of this progress is to be realized.