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Birdwatch Ireland is calling for the responsible use of poisons
following a series of red kite deaths in Fingal, Co Dublin,
last year.
The call comes after 8 of the 39 red kites released in Fingal
were found dead in the latter half of 2011.
In 2010, red kites were born wild in Ireland for the first
time in 200 years following the success of the Irish Red Kite
Reintroduction Project.
Between 2007 and 2011, the Golden Eagle Trust, National Parks
and Wildlife Service and Welsh Kite Trust brought 120 chicks
to Co Wicklow, where breeding pairs soon established.
In 2011, a decision was made to expand the project to a second
site in Fingal, where 39 red kites were released with the
assistance of Fingal Leader Partnership, Fingal County Council
and local volunteers.
Dr Marc Ruddock, red kite project manager for the Golden
Eagle Trust, has described the discovery of the dead kites
as heartbreaking.
Analysis of the carcases by the National Parks and Wildlife
Service and the Department of Agriculture showed that at least
four of the kites contained the second-generation rat poison
brodifacoum.
Dietary analysis of kites in Ireland has shown that they
hunt and scavenge for rats, which puts them at risk from secondary
poisoning from rodenticides.
“We recognise the requirement for rodent control in terms
of human health and food safety, but urge amateur and professional
users alike to ensure that rodent control is carefully planned
to reduce the risk to non-target wildlife,” Dr Ruddock said.
According to John Lusby, the raptor conservation officer
with BirdWatch Ireland, the deaths “highlight an area of serious
concern and recent research has also shown that other species
such as barn owls, kestrels and long-eared owls are at significant
risk”.
Mr Lusby suggested “amending current regulations in Ireland
and increasing awareness of best practice rodent control”.
In addition to the threat posed to red kites and other wildlife
through the legal use of rat poisons, two other red kites
were confirmed to have been illegally poisoned by alphachloralose
in Wicklow last autumn.
Source - The Irish Times
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