Although DoC said it’s ‘UNLIKELY’ the deaths of 600+ rats found at a Westport beach were caused by 1080, independent lab testing confirms they “ALMOST CERTAINLY” were (See timeline)

TIMELINE : DoC’s ‘RATGATE’ AT NORTH BEACH, WESTPORT – INDEPENDENT LAB TEST RESULTS TODAY CONFIRM DEATHS “ALMOST CERTAINLY” 1080 POISON

by Carol Sawyer

1 – 3 November, 2019 – The Dept of Conservation aerially drops 104 tonnes of 1080 poison baits into the Maruia River catchment, to kill rats. This catchment feeds into the Buller River and out to sea at Westport.

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8 November — A Westport local spots numerous dead creatures (rats, birds, marine life) on North Beach, Westport, at the mouth of the Buller River, after heavy rain.

A dead octopus, just one of many varieties of wild and marine life found recently on North Beach, Westport

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9 November – Locals collect a trailer-load of 680 dead rats, a goat, octopods, skates, sole, starfish, crabs, barracuda, monkfish, crayfish ( all bottom feeders which could have eaten 1080 baits washed to sea) and seabirds from North Beach and ask DoC for assistance.

DoC dig a hole on the beach and bury the by dead wild and marine life washed up at North Beach, Westport

Doc dig hole in the sand and bury potentially toxic load on the beach. Freedom campers move elsewhere.

Freedom Campers at North Beach move on after discovery of the source of the dead wildlife washed up at North Beach Westport

Buller District Council announces, on behalf of DoC, that the aerial 1080 drop at Springs Junction the previous week (Maruia catchment) “may have contributed to the problem”, and advises caution.

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11 November – DoC, now moving into damage control, changes its story. On Prime TV News, West Coast Operations Director Mark Davies says ‘Doc thinks it’s unlikely the rats were poisoned by 1080 in a recent drop, then washed out of the hills by heavy rain. “I just can’t imagine that the two are connected”, he said.’

To Newshub, Davies said “… reports of dead fish and birds – along with the rats – are not consistent with the way 1080 is understood to work.”

However ‘One News’ hadn’t quite caught up with the new fairy story and said “”The Department of Conservation (DOC) said they may be victims of a recent 1080 drop 140 kilometres away in the Lewis Pass National Reserve.”

Also on 11 November, more dead rats and dead muttonbirds are discovered on a beach 8 kms north of Westport, seagulls are seen picking dead rats out of the sea at Waimangaroa Beach 17 kms north of Westport, and further reports come in of dead creatures found at Punakaiki and elsewhere..

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12 November – “DOC’s West Coast regional director of operations Mark Davies said the 1080 theory was however just that – a theory – and highly unlikely.” TVNZ News

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13 November – DoC’s Buller Operations Manager, Bob Dickson, clutching at straws now, announces a brand new DoC theory – The rats were committing suicide. They had run out of food and were all jumping into the rivers and rafting, dead, down to the beaches.

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15 November – First independent laboratory test results returned. Laboratory scientists’ professional conclusion is that the deaths of the beach animals tested were almost certainly caused by 1080 poison.