Mass dog poisoning operation in Addis Ababa

Yilma D.A. 2013. Mass dog poisoning operation in Addis Ababa can have severe repercussions on vulture populations. Vulture News 64: 74–76

In Addis Ababa until April 2013 at least 12 000 stray dogs were poisoned, in relation to the potential and growing concern of the risk of rabies to society, and dumped unburied at the city dump.

Secondary poisoning of bearded vultures throught stray dog carcases' consumption in Pakistan

About seven rare bearded vultures, two Tibetan wolves and several foxes have perished after consuming the carcasses of stray dogs poisoned to death by the workers of municipal committee, Booni, and disposed of at the desert of Kaghlusht in upper Chitral...

Secondary poisoning of feral cats in NZ

Three papers analyse different effect of secondary poisoning on feral cats.

Alterio, N. (1996). Secondary poisoning of stoats (Mustela erminea), feral ferrets (Mustela furo), and feral house cats (Felis catus) by the anticoagulant poison, brodifacoum. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 23(4), 331-338.

A poisoning operation using Talon 20P™, active ingredient brodifacoum, targeting rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in coastal grasslands on the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand, also killed stoats (Mustela erminea), ferrets (Mustela furo), cats (Felis catus), and mice (Mus musculus) and probably possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), rats (Rattus rattus), hares (Lepus europaeus occidentalis), and chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs). A new immigrant ferret also died 41 days after poisoning. If repeated in other habitats such as tussock grasslands and forests this method could greatly assist in restoration of mainland ecosystems and mitigation of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) by controlling a variety of pests/ Tb carriers in one operation. The removal of small mammalian predators following poisoning operations could decrease immediate predation pressure on native wildlife. However, the efficacy of this multi‐species pest control method and unwanted side‐effects must be researched before its routine use. This research also demonstrates the potential threat of second‐generation anticoagulantpoisons such as brodifacoum to small mammalian carnivores with high conservation value in their native countries.

Heyward, R. P., & Norbury, G. L. (1999). Secondary poisoning of ferrets and cats after 1080 rabbit poisoning. Wildlife Research, 26(1), 75-80.

The incidence of secondary poisoning was determined by using radio-telemetry to assess the survival of 68 ferrets and 21 cats on two treatment sites and one control site in the dry tussock grasslands of New Zealand. The treatment sites were aerially poisoned with 1080-coated carrot baits (0.02% wt/wt) to control rabbits. The control site was not poisoned. Ferrets and cats were monitored at two-weekly intervals for at least 1 month before, and 2 months after the poison operations. Muscle samples from ferrets and cats that died within 50 days of poisoning on the treatment sites were assayed for 1080. In all, 7–11% (n = 28) of ferrets on one site and 8–15% (n = 26) of ferrets at the other site apparently died of secondary 1080 poisoning. Natural mortality rates of ferrets were 46–81% per annum. While we have evidence that secondary poisoning of cats does occur, we monitored insufficient numbers of cats to reliably estimate mortality rates.

Declines in predator numbers are commonly observed after rabbit poisoning. This study indicates that secondary poisoning contributes to these declines.

Gillies, C. A., & Pierce, R. J. (1999). Secondary poisoning of mammalian predators during possum and rodent control operations at Trounson Kauri Park, Northland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 23(2), 183-192.

A poison baiting operation at Trounson Kauri Park in Northland, New Zealand using first 1080 and then brodifacoum targeted possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rodents (Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus). Predatory mammals were monitored by radio telemetry during the operation. All six feral cats (Felis catus), the single stoat (Mustela erminea) and the single ferret (Mustela furo) being monitored at the beginning of the operation died of secondary poisoning following the 1080 operation. A further two cats and four stoats were monitored through the ongoing poisoning campaign using brodifacoum in a continuous baiting regime. None of these radio tagged carnivores died of secondary poisoning. However, tissue analysis of additional carnivores trapped at Trounson found that cats, weasels (Mustela nivalis) and, to a lesser extent, stoats did contain brodifacoum residues. The duration that the radio-tagged predators were alive in and around Trounson Kauri Park suggests that the secondary poisoning effect was much reduced under the continuous baiting strategy compared to the initial 1080 poison operation.

Potential use of secondary poison to control feral cat on islands

Dowding, J. E., Murphy, E. C., & Veitch, C. R. (1999). Brodifacoum residues in target and non-target species following an aerial poisoning operation on Motuihe Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 23(2), 207-214.

Aerial poisoning using Talon^® 7-20 baits (active ingredient 20 ppm brodifacoum) was carried out on Motuihe Island, Hauraki Gulf, during the winter of 1997. The operation aimed to eradicate Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and house mice (Mus musculus) and to reduce rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) numbers significantly. We studied the diet of feral house cats (Felis catus) before the operation, then monitored the impact of the operation on them to determine whether secondary brodifacoum poisoning caused a reduction in their numbers. Large numbers of rabbits remained after poisoning; this and other observations suggested that insufficient bait had been applied to achieve the aims of the programme. Cat mortality, based on radio-collared animals, was 3/14 (21%). Cats on Motuihe Island appeared to eat rabbit muscle tissue in preference to internal organs; brodifacoum concentrations are lower in muscle than in liver and we suggest that rabbits may be a poorer vector than rodents for secondary poisoning of cats. We also confirmed the risk of an aerial brodifacoum application to a range of non-target bird species. Mortality of pukeko (Porphyrio p. melanotus) and paradise shelducks (Tadorna variegata) was 49% and 60% , respectively. No mortality of New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus) or variable oystercatchers (Haematopus unicolor) was detected. Twenty-nine individuals of 10 bird species (five indigenous and five introduced) were found dead after the operation and livers of all of them contained residues of brodifacoum; toxin levels averaged 0.84 µg g^-1 (range 0.12-2.31 µg g^-1).