The Sensitivity of Australian Animals to 1080 Poison. V. The Sensitivity of Feral Pigs, Sus Scrofa, to 1080 and Its Implications for Poisoning Campaigns.

Abstract

Acute oral LD50S (median lethal doses) and 95% confidence limits of 1080 poison for feral pigs, Sus scrofa, obtained by moving average and probit analysis methods are 1.04 (0.84-1.27) mg kg-1 and 1.00 (0.72-1.28) mg kg -1 respectively. These values are slightly higher than LD50S obtained for pigs by i/p dosing but similar to those obtained by oral dosing for other eutherian mammals. Signs of poisoning, either vomiting or increasing lethargy and laboured respiration, appeared from 1.9 to 47.3 h (median 6.2 h) after dosing, and deaths from 2.8 to 80 h (median 16.1 h) after dosing. Although 1080 is one of the most toxic poisons for pigs it has disadvantages, including the relatively large amounts that must be distributed in baits to kill pigs, and the comparatively greater susceptibility to it of many non-target birds and mammals. 36 species out of 40 non-target species likely to feed on poisoned baits are more susceptible to 1080 than pigs. Many other factors such as bait acceptance will govern what proportions of target and non-target populations will be poisoned. Attention to methods of poisoning or baiting techniques could minimize the risk that non-target animals face from pig-poisoning campaigns.