Carbofuran threatens birds of prey

Pesticides have been implicated in the recent poisoning in Scotland of a rare white-tailed sea eagle(1). It appears that carbofuran was the pesticide used, as it is in most illegal poisonings of raptors in the UK(2). Carbofuran was implicated in 2001 among bird of prey incidents in buzzard [4], owl, red kite [11] and golden eagle [1]. 
    One in eight crimes involving birds of prey involve illegal poisonings [108 in 2000](3), and many of these incidents involve the use of pesticides. The pesticides implicated include aldicarb, alphachloralose and carbofuran. A report in 2000 by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides found that 95 incidents involved deliberate abuse of pesticides, of which 25% involved carbofuran, and two killed golden eagles(4). 
    Following similar bird of prey poisonings carbofuran has been withdrawn from local markets in Canada in problem areas(5). Granule formulations are banned in the US in an attempt to prevent bird poisonings(6). Granules are responsible for many incidents(7). Carbofuran is no longer registered for use in the UK. 
    In Scotland, where the sea eagle was poisoned (the third eagle incident in the Oban area) earlier this year, 127 incidents of wildlife deaths were investigated in 2001, of which 35 [28%] involved pesticides poisoning or exposure. 71% of these incidents were classed as deliberate abuse of pesticides and 68% of all abuse incidents involved carbofuran(8). There appears to be no decline in pesticides abuse. (SF)

1. BBC Online Rare eagle killed by ‘poison’ 6/5/2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/scotland/1971648.stm
2. Keith Morton, RSPB, pers. comm., 22/8/2002.
3. BBC Online, Wild bird poisonings soar by half 9/5/2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1321415.stm
4. E.A. Barnett, M.R. Fletcher, K. Hunter, and E.A. Sharp, Pesticide Poisoning of Animals 2000: Investigations of Suspected Incidents in the UK, A Report of the Environmental Panel of the ACP, 2002, www.pesticides.gov.uk/citizen/wiis2000.pdf
5. Canadian Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation: Ecotoxicology Environment Canada July 10 2002, http://www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/migratory/ecotoxicology_e.htm
6. Extoxnet Pesticide Information Profile, Cornell University, online September 1993, updated December 2001, http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/carbofuran-ext.html
7. Extoxnet Pesticide Information Profile, revised 1996 Oregon State University, http://ace.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/pips/carbofur.htm
8. Hunter K, Sharp EA and Melton LM, Pesticide Poisoning of Animals 2001: a report of investigations in Scotland, Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, Edinburgh, 2001.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 57, September 2002, page 22]