Controlling vertebrate pests with fluoroacetate: lessons in wildlife management, bio-ethics, and co-evolution

Abstract

The uses of sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) as a vertebrate predacide in the USA and Australia are reviewed. The US applications centre on control of native species, while many of Australia's vertebrate pests are introduced species. This, coupled with the natural resistance of some Australian native fauna to 1080, has contributed to different patterns of use in both countries and different public attitudes to control programmes. The 1080 case corrects the omission of vertebrate pest control examples from the discussions of pest control in school biology texts, and highlights the interplay of economics, public opinion, bio-ethics, and biological principles in pest control programmes. Exercises on scientific vs emotive writing, data presentation, and co-evolution in Australia are suggested as possible curriculum extension exercises.