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Wild pigs in California develop ‘bright blue' skin after exposure to pesticides with rat poison: officials

Wild pigs in California develop ‘bright blue' skin after exposure to pesticides with rat poison: officials

New York Post07-08-2025
Swarms of wild pigs in California developed blue flesh after ingesting pesticides containing rat poison — and officials warned other common game animals may also be infected.
The feral hogs in Monterey County were exposed to a type of pesticide bait containing the anticoagulant rodenticide Diphacinone, a type of rat poison that prevents blood clotting and forces internal bleeding, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
Hunters are finding pigs with blue innards in California.
imgur/GlendilTEK
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The swine could've accidentally consumed the pesticide via dyed bait or even other prey that might've already been infected with it.
The California wild pigs, a hybrid between domestic swine and feral boars, are omnivores that feed on anything from grass to other bits of animal matter, including mice, according to the CDFW.
Any animal, from the pigs to geese and even bears, could be infected, according to the CDFW.
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The department noted that it first received reports of the pigs' bizarre intestinal discoloration in March, but noted that not all contaminated pigs have the glaring blue innards, especially depending on when they consumed the pesticide.
'It's wild. I'm not talking about a little blue. I'm talking about neon blue, blueberry blue,' Dan Burton, owner of Urban Trapping Wildlife Control, who first reported the oddly coloured flesh, told The Los Angeles Times.
The wild pigs are present in 56 of California's 58 counties, according to the CDFW.
Officials suspect the pigs could've ingested dyed bait containing the pesticide.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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A 2018 study by the University of Nebraska found that the rat poison residue was present in over 8 percent of the wild pig tissue samples collected from populations near agricultural and residential areas that used pesticides or rodenticides.
In the same study, a staggering 83 percent of bear tissue collected was also contaminated by the poison.
Pesticides used outdoors often create runoff after excessive rainfall or poor application and trickle into nearby bodies of water. It primarily infects aquatic life first, but the domino effect only continues as predators that consume the fish spread the chemicals through the food chain.
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Wild pigs are turning up with 'neon blue' flesh in California. Authorities sound the alarm
Wild pigs are turning up with 'neon blue' flesh in California. Authorities sound the alarm

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Dan Burton has trapped hundreds of wild pigs for clients of his wildlife control company in Salinas, but even he was startled when he cut one of them open and found blue meat inside. "I'm not talking about a little blue," said Burton, owner of Urban Trapping Wildlife Control. "I'm talking about neon blue, blueberry blue." Burton relayed the disturbing discovery to Monterey County officials and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency is now warning trappers and hunters to keep an eye out for possibly contaminated wildlife in the area, and not to consume the tainted meat, over concerns the blue meat is a sign that the animal may have consumed poison. "It's just wild," Burton said. The startling find of wild pigs with bright blue tissue in Monterey County suggests the animals have been exposed to anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, a popular poison used by farmers and agriculture companies to control the population of rats, mice, squirrels and other small animals, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Hunters should be aware that the meat of game animals, such as wild pig, deer, bear and geese, might be contaminated if that game animal has been exposed to rodenticides," said Ryan Bourbor, pesticide investigations coordinator with the state agency. Officials are urging hunters not to consume any meat from an animal with signs of the blue pigmentation in their meat or fat, and to report the find to officials. Predators and people who eat animals that were poisoned by diphacinone can suffer "secondary exposure" to the poison because the substance can remain for a time in the organs and tissue of the poisoned animal. "Generally, more than one feeding is needed to receive a toxic dose," according to a 2023 study, but people and animals that consume the substance can start feeling the effects of the poison, including signs of lethargy. Read more: Why are scientists dressing pigs in clothes and burying them in Mexico? Another study published in 2011 found that cooking meat tainted with diphacinone had little effect on the concentration of the poison, and recommended that "consumption of pig meat obtained from areas with active rodent control programs should be avoided." The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it became aware of the wild pigs' exposure to rat poison in March, when a trapper in Monterey County reported finding several wild pigs with blue muscle and fat. The agency's Wildlife Health Lab found diphacinone in the stomach and liver of one pig, according to a statement from the agency. Rodenticide baits are often dyed so they can be identified as poison, and the unusual blue-colored muscle is a sign that the animal may have eaten the poison, or eaten an animal that had been exposed to the poison. Officials also warn that the blue coloring may not always be present in animals that have been exposed. The rodenticide can pose a problem for farmers and agriculture companies that use it to control animals that can destroy or damage crops, but they end up poisoning other wild animals as well, Bourbor said. Burton said his company discovered the affected animals when it was hired by an agriculture firm in late February and March to trap wild pigs that were going into the firm's fields. His company traps the pigs and then euthanizes them according to state law, he said. He usually donates the carcasses and meat of the pigs to low-income families. But in this case, the pigs were found with bright blue meat and fat when they were cut open. Read more: Poisoned pelicans fly again after the worst algal bloom in a decade "I thought, OK, that's weird," Burton said. Burton said he investigated to try to figure out how the pigs' meat had become tainted and found that the animals appeared to be targeting squirrel bait stations in the field, which were being used to control the squirrel population. "These pigs were seeking [the bait traps] out," Burton said. "I saw them trying to flip it over, breaking them, trying to get access to the poison." The pigs that were consuming the poisoned bait were not immediately dying because they were consuming bait meant to kill much smaller animals, Burton said. The pigs, which Burton said weighed between 100 and 200 pounds, appeared to be acting normally even though their tissue was visibly affected by the poison. The poison is also not fast-acting even for small animals, which can stay alive for several days before the poison takes effect, he said. The pigs were submitted for testing and found to have been exposed to the poison over an extended period. Meanwhile, the firm that hired Burton's company pulled the squirrel traps off the field, Burton said, out of concern that it was drawing in groups of the pigs. "Our concern is we're seeing multiple animals doing it," Burton said. Diphacinone is mostly prohibited across California, unless it is used by a certified vector control technician, government agency, or at agricultural sites, according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The prohibition became effective in 2024 as part of a law aimed at protecting wildlife from exposure to the poison. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, a 2018 study found that about 8.3% of wild pigs tested had traces of anticoagulant rodenticide residue. Burton said his main concern was that young hunters might not be aware of the signs to look for when hunting the pigs. The agency asks anyone who comes across an animal with blue fat or tissue to contact officials at whlab@ or (916) 358-2790. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword

Wild Pigs in California Are Turning Neon Blue on the Inside, Officials Warn
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Unexpected exposure to rodenticide is turning California's wild pigs blue, state authorities say. 'I'm not talking about a little blue,' Dan Burton, owner of a wildlife control company in Salinas, California, told The Los Angeles Times. 'I'm talking about neon blue, blueberry blue.' Burton was one of the first trappers to discover that local wild pigs had turned blue on the inside. A subsequent investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) found that the pigs had consumed the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, a poison used by farmers to control populations of unwanted rats, mice, squirrels, and other small animals. These substances often contain dye to identify them as poison, the CDFW reported, which likely explains how the pigs ended up with blue-colored muscle and fat. Burton's own investigations found that the poisoned pigs seemed to be frequenting squirrel bait stations, which local farmers were using to control the squirrel populations targeting their crops. However, since the poisoned bait had tiny doses of diphacinone, the pigs, despite turning blue, weren't outwardly acting sick. Eating animals poisoned by this rodenticide could result in secondary exposure to the poison, the CDFW said. As such, the agency is warning hunters to not consume any wild animals with signs of blue contamination and to report any sightings of such animals to officials. Overall, the agency advised hunters to exercise extra caution around areas with rat control programs, as it is also possible that exposed animals may not necessarily be blue. 'Hunters should be aware that the meat of game animals, such as wild pig, deer, bear and geese, might be contaminated if that game animal has been exposed to rodenticides,' said Ryan Bourbor, pesticide investigations coordinator at CDFW, in the statement. This isn't the first time that officials have identified wild pigs poisoned by rat poison. In 2018, a study by the CDFW found traces of rodenticide in about 8.3% of wild pigs spotted lurking around agricultural or residential areas with rat control programs. Other research from 2011 and 2023, respectively, found that cooking meat poisoned with diphacinone did not eliminate the contamination, and people and animals that consume the meat can exhibit signs of rodenticide poisoning, such as lethargy. In 2024, California prohibited the use of diphacinone, with exceptions for specific instances at certified sites, as part of legislation meant to protect wildlife from unintentional poisoning. CDFW is asking anyone who encounters wild animals with blue fat or tissues to report their sightings to the agency at [email protected] or (916) 358-2790.

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