Sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) is used to kill pest species such as foxes in Australia and possums in New Zealand. In both countries it is an essential component of conservation programmes. The poisoned animals die in considerable pain. Striking a balance between its effectiveness as a conservation tool and the animal welfare issues involved has proved to be difficult. This review examines the arguments on either side. It also raises the question of how long selection for resistance will take to develop. The presence of resistant vertebrates in Western Australia is ascribed to the selective effect of poisoned plants whose seeds and flowers contain 1080. Western vertebrate subspecies have evolved resistance which is not present in estern subspecies and so resistance can evolve within the lifetime of a species.
Lim (1997) has recently presented a critique of aspects of the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act (TSCA), and in particular of the role of the Scientific Committee established by the Act.
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