Leaching by rain of sodium fluoroacetate ('1080') from baits used for rabbit control

Abstract

At Frankston, Victoria, the leaching of 1080 poison by rainfall was measured in two different types of pellet baits made from pollard, bran and molasses. The poison was applied in different ways and the results for pellets were compared with those for carrot and oat baits. Rainfall was a more important factor than time of exposure in the loss of poison from pellet baits. For all baits the rate of loss of poison was more rapid from baits with higher initial content of 1080 and the amount of poison remaining in the baits tended to a constant level after about 1.5 inches of rain. Varying the amount of fluid added with the poison and the method of application did not alter the rate of loss of poison. Poison was lost more rapidly from carrots than from pellets and oats. Pellets retrieved from the field during poisoning operations contained less poison than any of the pellets exposed in cages at Frankston, irrespective of rainfall or original poison content.