Poisons and Biological Agents

Sodium Fluoroacetate (1080)

• A widely used toxin in Australia for the management of pest animals e.g. feral pigs, wild dogs, foxes, cats and rabbits.

• Application by aerial or ground based baiting, Canid Pest Ejectors or grooming traps.

• Meat baits are used on foxes and wild dogs e.g. kangaroo, beef, mutton, chicken wingettes often injected with 1080 solution. Commercial baits like Doggone® uses 6mg of 1080 in a 60g bait and Fox-Off® uses 3mg of 1080 in a 30g/60g bait.

• Carrot baits are used on rabbits and pigs e.g. diced carrots treated with 1080 solution.

• Oat baits are used on rabbits e.g. oats surface-coated or vacuum-impregnated with 1080.

• Manufactured baits specifically designed for pigs e.g. PIGOUT® feature a centralised 72mg 1080 core, often dyed green.​

• Sodium Fluoroacetate metabolises in the body into fluorocitrate, which blocks the enzyme aconitase, shutting down the citric acid cycle, which is essential for energy production in all aerobic organisms. Symptoms appear within 30 to 180 minutes, starting with disorientation and distress, progressing to convulsions, frenzied behaviour, unconsciousness, and death.

• 1080 is extremely dangerous to humans and domestic animals (working dogs, cattle) if ingested. Scavengers can also be killed by eating poisoned carcasses, as the toxin can remain active for several months in dry conditions.

• There is no known antidote for 1080 poisoning.

• It is classified as a Schedule 7 restricted chemical, requiring authorised users and specialised training.

• Strict protocols are required, including notifying neighbours, setting bait distances from water sources and property boundaries, and wearing protective gear. 

• 1080 is highly soluble and breaks down naturally in the environment, particularly in soil and water by micro-organisms.​

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Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP)

• A toxin utilised in specific baiting programs for the control of foxes, wild dogs and feral cats.

• Application by ground based (curiosity) baiting, Canid Pest Ejectors or grooming traps.

• PAPP reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood by impacting haemoglobin levels, this causes the animal to become tired and lose coordination, then lose consciousness and eventually die due to a lack of oxygen.

• From ingestion to the onset of symptoms is around 30 minutes and death usually occurs within one or two hours. Before dying, animals experience anxiety and distress due to being unable to move despite being conscious, where they may experience predation and exposure to environmental extremes. Dogs poisoned with PAPP often vomit, especially during the later stages before death.

• Dogs, cats, foxes and dingoes are the most susceptible to PAPP poisoning.

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Sodium Nitrite

• An agent used in formulated baits specifically targeting feral pigs.

• HOGGONE® is supplied as a dense solid paste bait and is offered to feral pigs in trays delivered in a pig specific feeder (bait box). A dose of 250–350g per pig provides a small surplus of the minimum lethal dose required to kill the average size target animal. The additional amount of bait ensures sufficient toxin for a range of pig sizes given a mixed population with juveniles and adults is likely. The sodium nitrite is in a microencapsulated form (meSN®) which is spread throughout the paste. Must be deployed within a Bait Box to prevent access by non-target species.

• Sodium nitrite works through reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood by reducing the poisoned animals’ haemoglobin levels. The poisoned animals lose consciousness and die due to lack of oxygen being delivered by the blood to the brain and heart. Death usually occurs within one to three hours after bait ingestion and most pigs are found within 200 metres of the baiting station. Signs of poisoning include progressive lethargy, incoordination and reduced consciousness. Difficulty in breathing is noted close to death and some animals experience seizures followed by coma and death. Pigs may show some signs of distress for 5-10 minutes prior to death.

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Pindone

• A first-generation anticoagulant poison used primarily to control feral rabbit populations in Australia, particularly in semi-rural or peri-urban areas where more toxic baits, like 1080 are unsuitable. It works by inhibiting vitamin K, leading to fatal internal bleeding in rabbits after multiple feeds. It is commonly applied to oats or carrots.

• Pindone poses some risks to pets and wildlife, and carcass removal is required to prevent secondary poisoning.

• It is a restricted chemical generally available only to authorized persons, authorized officers, or licensed contractors.

• It is a multi-dose bait requiring rabbits to feed over 4 to 12 days, rather than a single feeding.

• Usually applied on carrot or oat baits, often after "free-feeding" with unpoisoned bait to ensure rabbits consume the poison.

• Pindone prevents the blood from clotting, causing minor, everyday damage to blood vessels to go unrepaired. Affected animals suffer from widespread internal bleeding, typically into internal organs, muscles, and joint spaces. The primary cause of death is typically hypovolemic shock (severe fluid/blood loss) accompanied by extreme anemia. Pindone is slow-acting. Death usually occurs 10 to 14 days after the initial dose, or sometimes within 6–17 days.

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Carbon Dioxide and Phosphine

• Gases sometimes used as fumigants for the control of rodents or rabbits in contained environments like warrens.

• Phosphine (PH3) is a primary registered fumigant used for burrow diffusion, while carbon dioxide (CO2) is generally considered ineffective and inhumane for warren fumigation.

• Phosphine is typically administered via aluminum phosphide tablets. These tablets are placed in warren entrances and wrapped in moist paper to trigger the release of toxic phosphine gas upon contact with moisture.

• Effectiveness depends on gas concentration and soil moisture. High concentrations (400 ppm) can kill rabbits in 30 minutes, while low concentrations (25 ppm) can take up to 4 hours.

• Phosphine is a respiratory tract irritant that attacks primarily the cardiovascular and respiratory systems causing peripheral vascular collapse, cardiac arrest and failure, and pulmonary edema. It induces rapid breathing, gasping, and collapse, often creating a high-distress, painful, yet relatively fast death, depending on exposure.

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Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV)

• A Biological Agent, which is used as a host-specific biocontrol for European rabbits.

• Application by direct inoculation or ingestion of treated baits (oats or carrots). It is typically released in autumn to maximize impact on susceptible adult populations.

• There are two main pathogenic types: Classic RHDV (including RHDVa/G6) and the more recent RHDV2 (or RHDVb), which was first detected in 2010 and often dominates current outbreaks.

• Highly contagious, spread through direct contact with infected rabbits (live or dead), their excreta, contaminated food/water, clothing, or insect vectors (flies, fleas).

• Often sudden death with no warning. When observed, symptoms include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, convulsions, and bleeding from the nose, mouth, or rectum.

• RHDV is very stable in the environment and can survive for long periods in carcasses, on clothing, and in contaminated environments, resisting freezing. 

• In Australia, RHDV1 (strains v351 and K5) is used as a biological control agent to manage wild European rabbit populations. RHDV2 has also established itself in the wild population and is a significant threat to domestic rabbits.

• RHDV suspension (such as RHDV1 K5) is classified as a Restricted Chemical Product under Regulation 45 of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Regulations 1995.

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Alphachloralose

• Alphachloralose is a narcotic and when used in concentrations of less than 2.5% (10-20g/kg) it will anaesthetise birds rather than kill them. Comatose birds are then collected and the pest species humanely killed. Non-target species can be revived by placing them in a warm dark place.

• It causes hypnotic effects by slowing down the metabolism of affected birds, which can lead to death by hypothermia if they remain exposed in cold conditions.

• Primarily registered for pigeons (Columba livia), house sparrows, and tree sparrows.

• It is a Schedule 6 poison in many regions, meaning it is restricted to licensed pest control operators.

• It is highly toxic. Bait should not be placed where pets or native wildlife can access it. 

• Often, non-toxic bait is laid down first to get the birds accustomed to feeding in a specific spot before introducing the poison. It is most effective in moderate temperatures, as extremes of cold or heat can cause too-rapid mortality or reduced ingestion. Operators must collect affected birds promptly, typically within 1–2 hours of ingestion.