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George S, Sharp E, Campbell S, Giela A, Senior C, Melton LM, Vyas D, Mocogni L, Galloway M. Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in common buzzards: Impact of new rules for rodenticide use. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:173832. [PMID: 38879042 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Rodenticides are a key component of rodent management strategies, but birds of prey are susceptible to non-target exposure. New rules on sale and use of rodenticide products were introduced across the UK in 2016 in an industry-led stewardship scheme, with the aim of reducing this risk. To determine if this intervention has achieved its aim, exposure to second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) was measured in buzzards. Liver samples from 790 buzzards collected between 2005 and 2022 (excluding 2016 and 2017 samples) were analyzed and the percentage presence and concentrations of SGARs from pre-stewardship and post-stewardship samples were compared. There was no statistically significant decrease in the percentage of buzzards exposed to bromadiolone, difenacoum or combined SGAR residues after the introduction of stewardship. The percentage of buzzards exposed to brodifacoum increased significantly post-stewardship, from 8 % to 27 %. There were no significant decreases in the concentrations of individual SGARs post-stewardship but concentration of combined SGARs increased significantly post-stewardship. Individual buzzards were significantly more likely to be exposed to multiple SGARs post-stewardship. Rodenticide poisoning was recorded as the cause of death for 5 % of pre- and post-stewardship buzzards with detectable levels of SGARs, and 90 % of these had combined SGAR residues >0.1 mg/kg. These findings suggest that the industry-led stewardship scheme has not yet had the intended impact of reducing SGAR exposure in non-target wildlife. The study highlights a substantial increase in exposure of buzzards to brodifacoum and to multiple SGARs post-stewardship, indicating that further changes to the stewardship scheme may be necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila George
- Wildlife Management Unit, Diagnostics, Wildlife Management and Molecular Biology, SASA, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - E Sharp
- Chemistry Dept, SASA, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S Campbell
- Wildlife Management Unit, Diagnostics, Wildlife Management and Molecular Biology, SASA, Edinburgh, UK
| | - A Giela
- Chemistry Dept, SASA, Edinburgh, UK
| | - C Senior
- Chemistry Dept, SASA, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - D Vyas
- Chemistry Dept, SASA, Edinburgh, UK
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Vicedo T, Navas I, María-Mojica P, García-Fernández AJ. Widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides in agricultural and urban environments. A menace to the viability of the endangered Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) populations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 358:124530. [PMID: 39004203 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are one of the most toxic groups of compounds currently used worldwide for rodent pest control. Toxic baits are often, directly or indirectly, ingested by non-target animals, resulting in secondary poisoning and frequently affecting apex predators. Their presence in many species of raptors is quite common, particularly scavenger species, with some of these acting as sentinels for the presence of these substances in the environment. However, there is less data on the presence of ARs in Bonelli's eagle, one of the most endangered eagle species in Spain and which is experiencing a negative population trend in Europe. This medium-sized eagle feeds predominantly on live species, and rarely consumes carrion. In this study, 17 carcasses of Bonelli's eagles from the Eastern Spain were necropsied. Both first and second generation ARs in their livers were analyzed by HPLC-MS-TOF revealing that all the eagles studied had been exposed to at least 5 ARs, out of a total of 10 ARs analyzed, with 7 being the highest number of ARs detected in a sample. Second generation ARs were the most prevalent, particularly bromadiolone and brodifacoum, with the highest concentrations in 94% of the cases. More than a third of the eagles presented a liver concentration of greater than 200 ng/g ARs, suggesting AR poisoning. The elevated presence of these compounds in Bonelli's eagles could be a new cause of mortality for this species or could explain other causes of death, such as the increased mortality in power lines, and should be taken into account for their conservation. At the same time, the presence of these compounds in the environment also represents a risk to public health, as the most frequent species in the diet of Bonelli's eagle (rabbits and partridges) are also hunted and consumed by hunters and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Vicedo
- Service of Toxicology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC -University of Oviedo - Principality of Asturias), Spanish National Research Council, Mieres Campus, Research Building, 33600, Mieres, Asturias, Spain
| | - I Navas
- Service of Toxicology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Toxicology and Risk Assessment Research Group, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30120 El Palmar, Spain.
| | - P María-Mojica
- Service of Toxicology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre "Santa Faz", VAERSA-Wildlife Service, Generalitat Valenciana, 03559 Santa Faz, Alicante, Spain
| | - A J García-Fernández
- Service of Toxicology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Toxicology and Risk Assessment Research Group, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30120 El Palmar, Spain
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Herring G, Eagles-Smith CA, Buck JA. Anticoagulant rodenticides are associated with increased stress and reduced body condition of avian scavengers in the Pacific Northwest. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121899. [PMID: 37244534 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) have been used globally to manage commensal rodents for decades. However their application has also resulted in primary, secondary, and tertiary poisoning in wildlife. Widespread exposure to ARs (primarily second generation ARs; SGARs) in raptors and avian scavengers has triggered considerable conservation concern over their potential effects on populations. To identify risk to extant raptor and avian scavenger populations in Oregon and potential future risk to the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) flock recently established in northern California, we assessed AR exposure and physiological responses in two avian scavenger species (common ravens [Corvus corax] and turkey vultures [Cathartes aura]) throughout Oregon between 2013 and 2019. AR exposure was widespread with 51% (35/68) of common ravens and 86% (63/73) of turkey vultures containing AR residues. The more acutely toxic SGAR brodifacoum was present in 83% and 90% of AR exposed common ravens and turkey vultures. The odds of AR exposure in common ravens were 4.7-fold higher along the coastal region compared to interior Oregon. For common ravens and turkey vultures that were exposed to ARs, respectively, 54% and 56% had concentrations that exceeded the 5% probability of toxicosis (>20 ng/g ww; Thomas et al., 2011), and 20% and 5% exceeded the 20% probability of toxicosis (>80 ng/g ww; Thomas et al., 2011). Common ravens exhibited a physiological response to AR exposure with fecal corticosterone metabolites increasing with sum ARs (ΣAR) concentrations. Both female common raven and turkey vultures' body condition was negatively correlated with increasing ΣAR concentrations. Our results suggest avian scavengers in Oregon are experiencing extensive AR exposure and the newly established population of California condors in northern California will likely experience similar AR exposure if they feed in southern Oregon. Understanding the sources of ARs across the landscape is an important first step in reducing or eliminating AR exposure in avian scavengers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garth Herring
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Jeremy A Buck
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office, Portland, OR, 97266, USA
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Castle JR, Brown D, Watson K, Slankard K, Allen T. Changes in Bald Eagle Nesting Distribution and Nest-Site Selection in Kentucky during 1986–2019. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2023. [DOI: 10.1656/045.030.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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Wu Y, Ye X, Jiang L, Wang A, Wang J, Yao W, Qin Y, Wang B. Developmental toxicity induced by brodifacoum in zebrafish (Danio rerio) early life stages. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:318-326. [PMID: 36326103 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study mainly focused on the assessment of developmental toxicity induced by exposure to brodifacoum (BDF) in zebrafish at early life stages. MATERIAL AND METHODS Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg/L of BDF from 6 to 96 hr post-fertilization (hpf), and the toxic effects of BDF on early embryonic development were investigated in terms of morphological changes, oxidative stress, and alterations in heart development-related genes. RESULTS The experimental results showed that BDF significantly decreased the heart rate, survival rate, body length, and spontaneous movements of zebrafish embryos at 0.8 mg/L, and the morphological developmental abnormalities were also observed at 96 hpf. In addition, exposure to BDF significantly increased oxidative stress levels in zebrafish embryos by increasing the enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and decreased glutathione (GSH) levels. Furthermore, BDF treatment-induced alterations in the expression levels of the heart development-related genes (gata4, sox9b, tbx2b, and nppa). CONCLUSION Results from this study indicated that exposure to BDF could lead to marked growth inhibition and significantly alter the activities of antioxidant enzymes in zebrafish embryos. Moreover, BDF exposure exhibited severe cardiotoxicity and significantly disrupted heart development-related genes. The results indicated that BDF could induce developmental and cardiac toxicity in zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanzhao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Xinyu Ye
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Linyi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Anli Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Fuli Institute of Food Science, College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jiye Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Weixuan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yazhou Qin
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Binjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
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Bald eagle mortality and nest failure due to clade 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza a virus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:191. [PMID: 36604450 PMCID: PMC9813463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27446-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a culturally and ecologically vital species in North America that embodies conservation success but continues to face threats that include emerging pathogens. The introduction of A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage highly pathogenic (HP) clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 influenza A virus (IAV) in North America in late 2021 resulted in high rates of mortality among bald eagles. Here we show an alarming rate of bald eagle nest failure and mortality attributed to HP IAV. We documented fatal, systemic HP IAV infection in breeding adult and nestling bald eagles along the southeastern U.S. coast. Concurrently, annual bald eagle nest surveys in Georgia and Florida revealed a precipitous drop in success in coastal counties compared with previous years, portending negative impacts on population recruitment. As an apex predator and efficient scavenger, it is likely that bald eagles become infected through consumption of infected waterfowl. These results and similar reports of raptor mortality in Europe, Asia, and Africa, indicate a clear threat to raptor health. The possible long-term persistence of HP H5N1 IAV in North America poses an impending threat to bald eagle populations not only related to direct mortality but also decreased recruitment and warrants continued efforts to understand these potential impacts.
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Oliva-Vidal P, Martínez JM, Sánchez-Barbudo IS, Camarero PR, Colomer MÀ, Margalida A, Mateo R. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides in the blood of obligate and facultative European avian scavengers. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 315:120385. [PMID: 36257565 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) and their high persistence in animal tissues has led to these compounds becoming ubiquitous in rodent-predator-scavenger food webs. Exposure to SGARs has usually been investigated in wildlife species found dead, and despite growing evidence of the potential risk of secondary poisoning of predators and scavengers, the current worldwide exposure of free-living scavenging birds to SGARs remains scarcely investigated. We present the first active monitoring of blood SGAR concentrations and prevalence in the four European obligate (i.e., vultures) and facultative (red and black kites) avian scavengers in NE Spain. We analysed 261 free-living birds and detected SGARs in 39.1% (n = 102) of individuals. Both SGAR prevalence and concentrations (ΣSGARs) were related to the age and foraging behaviour of the species studied. Black kites showed the highest prevalence (100%), followed by red kites (66.7%), Egyptian (64.2%), bearded (20.9%), griffon (16.9%) and cinereous (6.3%) vultures. Overall, both the prevalence and average ΣSGARs were higher in non-nestlings than nestlings, and in species such as kites and Egyptian vultures foraging in anthropic landscapes (e.g., landfill sites and livestock farms) and exploiting small/medium-sized carrions. Brodifacoum was most prevalent (28.8%), followed by difenacoum (16.1%), flocoumafen (12.3%) and bromadiolone (7.3%). In SGAR-positive birds, the ΣSGAR (mean ± SE) was 7.52 ± 0.95 ng mL-1; the highest level detected being 53.50 ng mL-1. The most abundant diastereomer forms were trans-bromadiolone and flocoumafen, and cis-brodifacoum and difenacoum, showing that lower impact formulations could reduce secondary exposures of non-target species. Our findings suggest that SGARs can bioaccumulate in scavenging birds, showing the potential risk to avian scavenging guilds in Europe and elsewhere. We highlight the need for further studies on the potential adverse effects associated with concentrations of SGARSs in the blood to better interpret active monitoring studies of free-living birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Oliva-Vidal
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Spain.
| | - José María Martínez
- Gobierno de Aragón, Subdirección General de Desarrollo Rural y Sostenibilidad, Departamento Medio Ambiente, C/ General Lasheras 8, E-22003 Huesca, Spain
| | - Inés S Sánchez-Barbudo
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pablo R Camarero
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Mª Àngels Colomer
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Avda. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Spain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, 12, 22700, Jaca, Spain
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
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Thornton GL, Stevens B, French SK, Shirose LJ, Reggeti F, Schrier N, Parmley EJ, Reid A, Jardine CM. Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in raptors from Ontario, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:34137-34146. [PMID: 35034316 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18529-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are used globally to control rodent pest infestations in both urban and agricultural settings. It is well documented that non-target wildlife, including predatory birds, are at risk for secondary anticoagulant exposure and toxicosis through the prey they consume. However, there have been no large-scale studies of AR exposure in raptors in Ontario, Canada since new Health Canada legislation was implemented in 2013 in an attempt to limit exposure in non-target wildlife. Our objective was to measure levels of ARs in wild raptors in southern Ontario to assess their exposure. We collected liver samples from 133 raptors representing 17 species submitted to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) in Ontario, Canada, between 2017 and 2019. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to quantitatively assess the level of exposure to 14 first- and second-generation ARs. Detectable levels of one or more ARs were found in 82 of 133 (62%) tested raptors, representing 12 species. The most commonly detected ARs were bromadiolone (54/133), difethialone (40/133), and brodifacoum (33/133). Of AR-positive birds, 34/82 (42%) contained residues of multiple (> 1) anticoagulant compounds. Our results indicate that AR exposure is common in raptors living in southern Ontario, Canada. Our finding that brodifacoum, difethialone, and bromadiolone were observed alone or in combination with one another in the majority of our sampled raptors indicates that legislative changes in Canada may not be protecting non-target wildlife as intended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace L Thornton
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Brian Stevens
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Shannon K French
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Leonard J Shirose
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Felipe Reggeti
- Animal Health Laboratory, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Nick Schrier
- Animal Health Laboratory, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - E Jane Parmley
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alexandra Reid
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, 1 Stone Rd W, Guelph, ON, N1G 4Y2, Canada
| | - Claire M Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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ANTICOAGULANT EXPOSURE IN GOLDEN EAGLE (AQUILA CHRYSAETOS) POWER LINE ELECTROCUTION AND WIND TURBINE MORTALITIES. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:348-355. [PMID: 35100409 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are susceptible to anthropogenic mortality factors, including toxic compounds in the environment such as anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) and sources of man-made energy. The physical and behavioral effects of some toxins may predispose eagles to certain causes of death (COD). To investigate the influence of ARs on mortality of Golden Eagles at wind turbine farms, we randomly tested liver samples from 31 eagles found dead on wind farms and submitted to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory from 2013-20. The comparison group was composed of 31 Golden Eagles sampled during the same time frame with a COD of power line electrocution as a proxy for a relatively lower effort and altitude activity. Associations between COD, AR exposure, sex, and life stage were assessed. In each group, 12 birds (35%) were found to have been exposed to brodifacoum or bromadiolone prior to death. Logistic regression showed no significant association between COD and sex (P=0.194) or life stage (P=0.895). Across both mortality types, life stage was not a significant predictor of AR exposure (P=0.725), but males were more likely to have been exposed to ARs (P=0.032). These findings suggest that there is no difference in the influence of anticoagulant exposure on higher and lower altitude activity in Golden Eagles.
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Moriceau MA, Lefebvre S, Fourel I, Benoit E, Buronfosse-Roque F, Orabi P, Rattner BA, Lattard V. Exposure of predatory and scavenging birds to anticoagulant rodenticides in France: Exploration of data from French surveillance programs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:151291. [PMID: 34748846 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wild raptors are widely used to assess exposure to different environmental contaminants, including anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs). ARs are used on a global scale for rodent control, and act by disruption of the vitamin K cycle that results in haemorrhage usually accompanied by death within days. Some ARs are highly persistent and bioaccumulative, which can cause significant exposure of non-target species. We characterized AR exposure in a heterogeneous sample of dead raptors collected over 12 years (2008-2019) in south-eastern France. Residue analysis of 156 liver samples through LC-MS/MS revealed that 50% (78/156) were positive for ARs, with 13.5% (21/156) having summed second-generation AR (SGAR) concentrations >100 ng/g ww. While SGARs were commonly detected (97.4% of positive samples), first-generation ARs were rarely found (7.7% of positive samples). ARs were more frequently detected and at greater concentration in predators (prevalence: 82.5%) than in scavengers (38.8%). Exposure to multiple ARs was common (64.1% of positive samples). While chlorophacinone exposure decreased over time, an increasing exposure trend was observed for the SGAR brodifacoum, suggesting that public policies may not be efficient at mitigating risk of exposure for non-target species. Haemorrhage was observed in 88 birds, but AR toxicosis was suspected in only 2 of these individuals, and no difference in frequency of haemorrhage was apparent in birds displaying summed SGAR levels above or below 100 ng/g ww. As for other contaminants, 17.2% of liver samples (11/64) exhibited Pb levels compatible with sub-clinical poisoning (>6 μg/g dw), with 6.3% (4/64) above the threshold for severe/lethal poisoning (>30 μg/g dw). Nine individuals with Pb levels >6 μg/g dw also had AR residues, demonstrating exposure to multiple contaminants. Broad toxicological screening for other contaminants was positive for 18 of 126 individuals, with carbofuran and mevinphos exposure being the suspected cause of death of 17 birds. Our findings demonstrate lower but still substantial AR exposure of scavenging birds compared to predatory birds, and also illustrate the complexity of diagnosing AR toxicosis through forensic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg-Anne Moriceau
- USC1233 RS2GP, INRAe, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France; CNITV, VetAgro Sup, 1 avenue Bourgelat, 69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France
| | - Sébastien Lefebvre
- USC1233 RS2GP, INRAe, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France
| | - Isabelle Fourel
- USC1233 RS2GP, INRAe, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France
| | - Etienne Benoit
- USC1233 RS2GP, INRAe, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France
| | | | - Pascal Orabi
- French Bird Protection League (LPO France), France
| | - Barnett A Rattner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Virginie Lattard
- USC1233 RS2GP, INRAe, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F69 280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France.
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