Media Release
28 August 2009

West Coast aerial bovine tuberculosis control operations completed

A recent spell of fine weather has enabled the Animal Health Board to complete a series of aerial possum control operations as part of its programme to protect West Coast cattle and deer herds from bovine tuberculosis.

AHB West Coast Programme Manager, Chris Pullen said that the operations began at the end of May 2009 in the Grey and Buller districts and were completed last week.

“Our contractors have done a great job of planning these operations to make the most of good weather. They have been extremely professional in covering some 127,000 ha of often extremely difficult country.”

The largest operation, at Buller North, saw 1080 cereal bait applied across 22,871 ha in two days of flying, mostly over public conservation land. The aerial operations will be supported by ground control operations that use a combination of hand-laid poisons and traps.

“Ground control work is integral to the TBfree programme, but given the type of terrain on the West Coast the speed and effectiveness of aerial control work makes it essential,” said Mr Pullen.

Follow-up work after operations included checking public tracks for bait, taking water samples as required by the Medical Officer of Health, and checking warning signs.

He urged the public to take heed of signs and to keep dogs well away from any baited areas until warnings are removed.

“Public co-operation is very important at this stage and I would like to thank landowners and the wider community for their support and patience,” said Mr Pullen.

West Coast TBfree Committee chair, Helen Lash, said “This winter’s aerial programme in the region means possum densities will be knocked back in a number of key areas, an essential step in controlling the disease in wildlife and pushing the risk of infection further away from our farms.”

ENDS

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