Scare over rat poison

The New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association is concerned at the presence of brodifacoum, a deadly rat poison in Tuesday's fire at Lakeland Helicopters Depot at Murupara, on the edge of Urewera National Park.

Four firefighters and 14 other people were taken to Rotorua Hospital for tests, after being exposed to fumes during the fire.

Brodifacoum is a deadly cumulative poison used to kill rats and possums on offshore islands.

"It is important for the public to know why large amounts of brodifacoum were at Lakeland Helicopters' base when it is illegal to use this poison on mainland New Zealand," said the association's spokesman, Hugh Barr.

"Brodifacoum used aerially either by the Department of Conservation or other poisoning agencies was a major risk to hunters harvesting wild deer and pigs. The Ureweras are a popular deerstalking area, and there are also popular pig hunting areas nearby."

Dr Barr said the poison was also a major risk to farmed cattle, deer and sheep, and overseas markets were paranoid about the presence of brodifacoum in export meat.

Peter Bradley of Lakeland Helicopters said the poison was stockpiled there. The Department of Conservation and other agencies requested distribution of it from time to time.

Taupo-based pest control company Epro's spokesman Roger Lorigan said deerhunters should not be alarmed because there were few deer where the poison was used.

- NZPA