Dear all,

Please read the petition below asking Whitsunday Regional Council to stop the 1080 poisoning of feral animals - and indiscriminate poisoning of native species.

The most recent baiting took place on Thursday 23rd October.

Please sign the petition to pressure the council to implement a humane, sustainable alternative.

Dear Councillor Whitney,

I am shocked and appalled to discover that the council has recently conducted - and regularly undertakes - large scale 1080 poisoning campaigns in our region to address the environmental and agricultural problems caused by wild pigs and dogs.

Not only is 1080 extremely cruel, it is an ineffective solution that has devastating impacts on the entire ecosystem. I would urge the council to re-think its use of 1080 as a matter of the utmost urgency and to implement instead one of the proven, effective and humane alternatives that are available. I would ask that the council ensures a proper community consultation to take place as a first step towards this.

1080 is an indiscriminate killer which not only causes slow and cruel death to target species but also easily infects the whole ecosystem, killing for months after the drop and reaching birds and other native wildlife through the food chain. From what I've read, the environmental impact when 1080 is used close to water means its use in our region could potentially prove more far-reaching and devastating due to the fact that the poison is so easily leached into water and is toxic to all living beings.

As I'm sure you know, 1080 is banned in most countries including the USA. It is an ineffective and short term means of population control. There are many known alternatives which are sustainable as well as humane and I would urge any responsible council to consider the superior value of these in this case. 1080's effects and the proven alternatives are widely documented by government and other bodies worldwide.

In my view, in an area of such especially unique wetland and wildlife, the onus falls particularly heavily on the council to take such a responsibility seriously.