We can protect wildlife from poisons without compromising public health
On Feb. 28, Connecticut’s Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff recalled how traumatizing it was to see a Cooper’s hawk flailing around in his driveway after eating a rodent poisoned by anticoagulant rodenticides during compelling testimony at the General Assembly’s Environment Committee public hearing for HB 5217, an act concerning the use of certain rodenticides.
The too skinny bird was having seizures — falling on its back, flapping its wings and trying to get back up again. It was clear the image still haunts the senator. He told the committee members he supports the bill but asked them to strengthen it.
Friends of Animals also pressed for HB 5217 to go further too. As it was, it would not protect birds of prey, it would have only protected the people licensed to use second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. The 322 people already licensed to use SGARS in the state would have continued to be able to use them, putting black bait boxes outside grocery stores, in housing developments and town parks, to mention a few, whether a so-called rodent problem exists or not.
The evidence that SGARS pose an unreasonable risk to wildlife is piling up from our state’s unsung heroes. A Place Called Hope birds of prey rehab center in Killingworth is up to 79 completed tests on killed birds and animals with 68 being positive for SGARS, including three bald eagles, our nation’s bird; barn owls, which are endangered; and two species of special concern — the broadwinged hawk and American kestrel.
Anticoagulant rodenticide poisons work by preventing blood from clotting. The second-generation class was created to be more toxic and last longer than the first-generation class. Rodents frequently eat more than a single dose. Since the rodent doesn’t die instantly, this allows the rodent to continue consuming the toxins. Birds of prey don’t have a chance against this super lethal build-up in the rodent’s tissues. So, they’re dying from internal bleeding after consuming poisoned rodents.
SGARS not only kill wildlife, but they also weaken and sicken them too, making them vulnerable to other causes of death such as vehicular collisions.
The Environment Committee members, especially co-chairs state Sen. Rick Lopes and state Rep. Joe Gresko, should be commended for strengthening HB 5217 and voting it out of committee on March 8 so it bans the use of SGARS statewide with the same language used in California’s law, which includes these exceptions: warehouses used to store foods for human or animal consumption; agricultural food production sites; factories, breweries, or wineries; medical facilities, and drug and medical equipment manufacturing facilities.
Places where people eat, shop, live and work, such as restaurants, grocery
stores, homes, housing facilities, schools and office buildings, are not exempt.
Industry lobbyists will have you believe there will be a public health crisis without SGARS. But this ban narrowly targets the worse class of poisons. Not to mention, California’s law also allows the use of SGARS to control a rodent infestation associated with a public health crisis if it is determined by the Commissioner of Public Health.
The truth is there have been no public health emergencies in California or British Columbia since 2021 when they banned Sgars—proof that we can protect wildlife without compromising public health.
“This is something we can do something about,” Duff said. “We cannot have nuisances, but we can also insure we are not harming wildlife because we are putting out dangerous chemicals in nature.”
We couldn’t agree more.
All legislators in the House and Senate should vote yes to HB 5217 to reduce unnecessary second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide use and encourage less toxic pest control methods.
Data is piling up that rodent birth control can be an effective solution that does not harm non-target wildlife. Raptors Are the Solution, our ally in California, was able to reduce the rat population by 91 percent at a Seattle business district using Contrapest.
A Connecticut park stopped using toxic anticoagulants since it launched a successful pilot program with Contrapest in 2021. Another key to success was landscaping to remove potential rat habitat and improving waste management in the 40-acre park.
After all, rodent problems stem from human behavior — poor sanitation practices and giving rodents access to shelter.
Toxic anticoagulants ‘mis’-manage the problem — they will never solve it. Putting out bait boxes, which attracts rodents into an area, makes no sense for Connecticut.
Most importantly, they are killing birds of prey who are the best defense against rodents anyway.