Assessing Some Potential Environmental Impacts from Agricultural Anticoagulant Uses

Abstract

This study was designed to give us a better understanding of the relationship between agricultural anticoagulant rodenticide uses and related occurrence of these materials in raptor tissues. The project utilized data from raptor carcasses collected, both in urban San Diego County and in largely agricultural Fresno, Kern, and Madera Counties, as part of the public health surveillance programs of the County Veterinarian(s) and/or Departments of Environmental Health. Most raptors contained detectible levels of second-generation anticoagulants, which are registered only for commensal rodent control in and around structures; very few contained first-generation anticoagulants, which are the only anticoagulants registered for use in agricultural production in California. This suggests that secondary hazards to raptors and other wildlife from anticoagulants stems primarily from retail sale of commensal rodent baits, particularly in residential areas, and not from anticoagulant rodenticide uses in agricultural regions