Manly: Fears over spate of possum poisonings
A veterinary nurse on the northern beaches has issued a warning after seeing a spate of wild animals suffering horrific deaths after being poisoned. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES.
Manly
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A number of possums have died after being poisoned on the northern beaches.
One veterinary surgery in Seaforth has seen seen two dead adult possums – one a mum with a young joey which had to be euthanised.
Another possum is being treated for poisoning.
Rachel Jackson, head nurse at Seaforth Veterinary Hospital, said a member of the public said they had also found a further dead possum in their backyard which had been bleeding from every orifice.
“Poison causes coagulation issues which means the animals bleed from their nose, mouth and bottom,” she said.
“It’s quite obvious what they are dying from.”
Ms Jackson said there are some people who use rat bait to get rid of possums, but mainly it’s people laying bait not realising that possums, bandicoots and dogs will eat it too.
She warned that powerful owls, tawny frogmouths and kookaburras can also die from poisoning if they eat poisoned rats or mice.
“It’s winter and some possums are finding it tough to find food,” she said.
She said that could be another reason why possums are foraging around on the ground and eating rat bait.
Malcolm Fisher, a Manly Vale resident and a member of Save Manly Dam, said he had found two dead brushtail possums in his backyard.
“I’ve got a backyard which I share with possums,” he said.
“They live in the rafters of my shed.
“There have been two dead possums in the last three months.
“The vet believes it is rat poison.
“They die a really gruesome death.”
Mr Fisher said he was doing a leaflet drive around Manly Vale to raise awareness of rat bait on wildlife.
He urged anyone who finds an injured or orphaned native animal to call Sydney Wildlife on 9413 4300.