BirdLife Australia welcomes the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announcement today of their intention to refuse the NSW Government’s request to distribute mass quantities of bromadiolone, a toxic mouse poison.
Bromadiolone is known as a second-generation anticoagulant and kills animals by causing internal bleeding. It does not kill immediately or break down after it is ingested, meaning mice who have eaten it can be caught and eaten by other animals.
Studies in Australia have found rodenticide in dead birds of prey including Boobook owls and wedge tailed eagles.
BirdLife Australia Urban Birds Program Director Dr Holly Parsons said the APVMA had made the right decision in refusing to grant a permit on environmental grounds.
“We still have concerns about the impacts that second generation anti-coagulant rodenticides have on our wildlife but are glad that such a mass quantity has been stopped from entering the ecosystem,” Dr Parsons said.
“We note the APVMA have approved six additional permits to distribute zinc phosphide and call again on the APVMA to implement additional monitoring of potential impacts to wildlife from this chemical.
“While it does not spread throughout natural food chains in the same way as bromadiolone would, zinc phosphide is still highly toxic and should be distributed with caution.”
“We know the mouse plague continues in many parts of Australia and while we try to control the harmful impacts on communities, we need to be aware of the long-term impacts on wildlife.
BirdLife Australia is also calling on householders not to use second generation poisons.
“These products are available on supermarket shelves right across the country and people may not know that as well as killing mice, they go on to kill birds and other wildlife.
“With mice populations in plague proportions, it’s really important that everyday consumers understand that there are alternatives to these poisons for use in their homes and gardens.
“Using traps or getting professional controllers to set baits can help stop our beloved owls and other birds of prey from suffering painful deaths from
secondary rodenticide poisoning,” Dr Holly Parsons said.
