Dead owls are piling up in my freezer: Perth scientists take a stand

Three West Australians led a delegation of leading environmental scientists who marched on Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday to demand stronger restrictions on the sale and use of toxic rodent baits.

Five second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides known as SGARs, commonly found in big-brand hardware stores, are currently approved for use in Australia by Australia’s pesticide regulator.

Environmental scientists Damian Lettoof, Michael Pawlyshyn, Mike Lohr (ECU), Robert Davis (ECU) and John White (Deakin University) meet at the office of Senator David Pocock.Credit: Robert Davis

Rats and other rodents can ingest a lethal dose in a single feeding, making these poisons substantially more potent than their first-generation counterparts.

As they are slow to break down, they pose a higher risk of poisoning to the non-target animals that eat the rodents – often native mammals and night birds such as owls.

It is the first time zoologists, ecologists and environmental scientists from around Australia – including Edith Cowan University, Deakin University and University of Tasmania senior lecturers – have gathered to lobby against second-generation products at the parliamentary level.

Spearheaded by Edith Cowan school of science lecturers, Dr Robert Davis and Dr Michael Lohr, the group says government leaders and the regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, are ignoring evidence that these poisons have a prevalent and lasting impact on WA’s food chain.

“My lab has pioneered most of the Australian work showing that use of rat and mouse baits containing the so-called second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, like brodifacum and bromadiolone, is leading to widespread pollution of the food chain,” Davis said.

“The work of our lab and two other colleagues have found exposure in predatory birds, omnivorous birds, snakes, shingleback lizards, frogs, possums and carnivorous marsupials.

“The more we look, the more we find.

“The science is all in, and it is thorough – yet we are not being listened to.”

Australia is one of the last countries to ban or tightly regulate the use of first and second generation anticoagulant rodenticides.

Night birds like the masked owl are dying after eating mice and rats that have ingested anticoagulant rodenticides.Credit: Belinda Davis

The British Pest Control Association made the use of any SGAR products to treat rodent infestation not inside a building illegal as recently as July 4.

“The APVMA has previously resisted all calls to regulate these products in Australia and yet, the dead owls are piling up in my lab freezer – literally 20 in the past two weeks,” Davis said.

“Other countries require monitoring of the biodiversity impacts, mandatory screening for poisoning in dead wildlife and a long list of regulations.”

The APVMA began a review into anticoagulant rodenticides in late 2021 to reassess the risks and to consider if labels have adequate instructions to protect the health and safety of people, animals and the environment.

The investigation is currently in the scientific assessment phase with a proposed decision expected to be published before the end of 2024, followed by a three-month consultation period.

After Thursday’s meeting, a spokesperson told WAtoday the authority applied rigorous scientific risk assessments of products before they went to market and continuously monitored all evidence and credible scientific reports.

“After a product or active ingredient is registered, if evidence emerges on the potential for a substance to pose an undue hazard to non-target species, the APVMA takes this very seriously and carefully considers this evidence when determining appropriate regulatory action,” they said.

“Based on concerns identified both through the published literature and through a public consultation, the APVMA initiated a reconsideration of both first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides.

“The APVMA welcomed the opportunity to meet with the scientists in Canberra yesterday and look forward to their future input to the reconsideration.”

The move against the use of the toxic baits has recently gained traction at the grassroots level with local governments in Margaret River, Fremantle and Mundaring adopting “owl friendly” programs.

The City of Fremantle Council voted in June to use alternative methods of pest control to protect pets and native wildlife.

Davis said after a productive first meeting with Senator David Pocock on Thursday, the delegation looked forward to an upcoming meeting with the Threatened Species Commissioner.

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