Latest news with #SGARs
The Age
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Age
Ratsak is losing its bite: How to get rid of the rats in your ranks
Black rats commonly found in roofs across Australia are developing a genetic mutation that increases their resistance to rat poisons, which continue to kill large numbers of native birds and frogs. New research shows more than half the studied black rats – the most common form of introduced rats in Australia – had a genetic mutation that indicates some resistance to second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, also known as SGARs. Black rats are the most common introduced rat in Australia. In Europe, North America and Britain, brown rats have developed resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides. In one UK study, up to half of the observed brown rat population survived repeated ingestion of rat poison. Experts say the findings are alarming because people might be using larger quantities of poisons to eradicate rats in their homes, thus introducing more poisons into the food chain. SGARs are so potent that they are lethal to secondary predators that feed on rodents, including tawny frogmouths, Australian boobooks and eastern barn owls. Loading Poisons leaching into waterways have also found their way into frogs and toads, while possums and reptiles have also been found to contain SGARs. The poisons work by preventing blood clotting, causing animals to die from internal bleeding. New research led by Edith Cowan University PhD student and environmental toxicologist Alicia Gorbould found a genetic mutation Tyr25Phe – associated with resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides - in the majority of black rats the team studied. Gorbould and her colleagues tested the tails of 191 rats caught between 2021 and 2024 in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ratsak is losing its bite: how to get rid of rats in your ranks
Black rats commonly found in roofs across Australia are developing a genetic mutation that increases their resistance to rat poisons, which continue to kill large numbers of native birds and frogs. New research shows more than half the studied black rats – the most common form of introduced rats in Australia – had a genetic mutation that indicates some resistance to second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, also known as SGARs. Black rats are the most common introduced rat in Australia. In Europe, North America and Britain, brown rats have developed resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides. In one UK study, up to half of the observed brown rat population survived repeated ingestion of rat poison. Experts say the findings are alarming because people might be using larger quantities of poisons to eradicate rats in their homes, thus introducing more poisons into the food chain. SGARs are so potent that they are lethal to secondary predators that feed on rodents, including tawny frogmouths, Australian boobooks and eastern barn owls. Loading Poisons leaching into waterways have also found their way into frogs and toads, while possums and reptiles have also been found to contain SGARs. The poisons work by preventing blood clotting, causing animals to die from internal bleeding. New research led by Edith Cowan University PhD student and environmental toxicologist Alicia Gorbould found a genetic mutation Tyr25Phe – associated with resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides - in the majority of black rats the team studied. Gorbould and her colleagues tested the tails of 191 rats caught between 2021 and 2024 in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Shoppers 'genuinely shocked' by side effect of Coles, Bunnings, Woolworths, Mitre 10 product
For years, Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, Mitre 10, and other major retailers have been knowingly and legally selling a poison to consumers with a deadly side effect. It's quietly killing off Australia's native animals. Now Yahoo News can reveal more than 280 vets, doctors, farmers, scientists, and conservationists have signed an open letter calling on the nation's chemical regulator to ban merchants from selling this 'highly-toxic' form of rat bait to consumers. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) are openly sold on the same shelves as less harmful first-generation poisons, traps and natural baits. Although there are warnings on packets, unless shoppers delve into the fine print, they're unlikely to be able to tell the difference, and experts believe only professionals should be able to use these products because they're so dangerous. The letter has been sent from BirdLife Australia to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) as it is conducting a review of SGARs. It notes the United States, Canada, and the European Union have all introduced 'significant restrictions' to reduce the risk of 'unintended harm' caused by these products. 'Australia is lagging behind, allowing the continued use of SGARs in a way that is putting our wildlife and pets at risk,' it warns, dubbing it a 'crisis' that needs 'immediate intervention'. BirdLife Australia's Dr Holly Parsons told Yahoo News SGARs have a commercial purpose, however most consumers are 'genuinely shocked' that these baits are sold in supermarkets and hardware stores for home use when they can harm owls, native mammals, and even pets. 'There's a perception that because you can buy it on the shelf it's safe to use, and if you use it in accordance with the directions there's not going to be a problem. But that's not the case,' she said. Related: 😳 Bunnings workers struggle to spot deadly product on shelf SGARs were developed in the 1980s to combat growing resistance by rats to first-generation rodenticides. But these new poisons don't break down quickly in the environment, meaning each time a non-target animal eats a rat or mouse, they will accumulate more poison in their body. Sometimes the poisons will directly kill animals by making them slowly bleed out. But often they make non-target species so sick they get hit by cars or become unable to hunt. It's long been known that predatory birds like owls and tawny frogmouths frequently succumb to SGARs. Sadly, it's unpaid wildlife carers and volunteer vets who are left to mop up the problem when Aussies find sick and dying birds in their yards. In February, new research revealed native mammals like Tasmanian devils and quolls that are already threatened with extinction could be tipped over the edge by these chemicals. The signatories to the letter warn the problem is so serious that SGARs will soon be nominated as a Key Threatening Process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – Commonwealth legislation designed to safeguard endangered species. This would place SGARs alongside other major threats to the survival, abundance, or evolutionary development of native species, with other examples including feral animals, land clearing and chytrid fungus, which has directly caused the extinction of seven frog species in Australia. 'This issue is critical, and the urgency cannot be overstated. The ongoing use of SGARs presents a severe and immediate threat to Australia's wildlife and pets,' the letter says. Parsons told Yahoo the problem is continuing to 'grow deeper' the more we research it and that APVMA needed to act. 'More and more, we're understanding these products are getting out further than we ever expected them to. Many people probably don't realise that their backyard is part of the local environment, and so the impact of what they do inside their home is going to have ramifications for the wildlife around them,' she said. 📸 Beach find highlights dark side of Queensland's $88 million tourism pledge Dangerous discovery made 30cm under Western Australian garden 🌏 Alarming map highlights growing threats to $3.8 billion industry In 2023, pressure on Bunnings to stop selling animal glue traps proved effective, with the retailer confirming they would phase them out. These products had been linked to wildlife harm, and in this case Bunnings acted without being forced to by new regulations. Some campaigners had also hoped the retailer would withdraw SGARs from consumer sale without the need for the government to intervene. Yahoo visited Bunnings and Coles stores and saw SGARs on shelves beside less harmful products. And while this may be confusing for some consumers, the retailers are complying with all current legal guidelines with their displays. Active ingredients in SGARs-based products include brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, difenacoum, and flocoumafen. An update on their use by the APVMA is expected this year. Birdlife Australia's 281 signatories include biodiversity expert Professor Martine Maron, environmental scientist Professor Raylene Cooke, former Queensland chief scientist Professor Hugh Possingham, and molecular scientist Associate Professor Bill Bateman. They are calling for the following seven changes: SGARs to be withdrawn from public sale and their use restricted to licensed professionals. A ban on their use outside of buildings. Promotion of alternatives like electronic traps and non-anticoagulant options. Develop new management strategies that prioritise non-chemical alternatives. Mandate the monitoring of SGAR impacts on wildlife. Establish buffer zones around ecologically sensitive areas. Develop a threat abatement plan to address rodenticide contamination in the environment. Coles was contacted for comment, but it did not immediately respond. Metcash's Independent Hardware Group (IHG), which supplies Mitre 10 stores with products including SGARs, told Yahoo News it "will comply" with any directives legislated by the APVMA. "In the interim, we are working with suppliers to produce educational materials for members and consumers around the use of alternative products," it said in a statement. "While we cannot compel independent Mitre 10 stores to display signage, it will be strongly encouraged. We are also in the process of extending our range of natural, pallet-based throw packs that are non-toxic to birds and other wildlife." Bunnings said it had worked with the APVMA and suppliers to update packaging to "clearly display" on the front when SGARs are present, and introduced QR codes in rodent control aisles so customers can learn more about products. "The rodenticide products we sell are in line with guidance from the Federal regulator, the APVMA, and we will continue to follow its advice in this area. This includes any requirements confirmed by the APVMA when the Anticoagulant Rodenticides Chemical Review is finalised," a spokesperson said. Bunnings added that it was providing "choice" for consumers, and that included both rodenticides and non-poisonous alternatives to help customers achieve the "best solution to their specific rodent problem". Woolworths said the products are "important" for people who have issues with rats or mice, particularly in rural areas. It also sells them in metropolitan and suburban stores. "We also sell a number of alternative options including ultrasonic repellents, traps and rodenticides without second-generation anticoagulants," it said. "As always, we encourage our customers to follow the instructions outlined on these products, which include clear labels and warnings about safe use, storage and disposal." You can read the full BirdLife Australia letter here. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
West Australian
02-06-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Shire of Harvey ‘gives a hoot' becoming the newest South West shire to join the Owl Friendly movement
The Shire of Harvey has shown it 'gives a hoot' by becoming the newest South West shire to join the Owl Friendly movement. The move will see the shire eliminating the use of Second Generation Anti-Coagulant Rodenticides within shire-owned buildings and pushing to inform the community of the dangers of the insidious and lethal poison. The Owl Friendly movement initially stated in Margaret River when researchers looking at the elusive masked owl saw the impact SGARs were having on the native owl population. Since then, the movement has grown to cover shires and cities across the State, with the City of Cockburn, City of Geraldton and most recently the City of Stirling among just some of the Local governments across WA to adopt an Owl Friendly status. The movement specifically targets SGARs — often advertised as one dose, one kill poisons — which can take up to a week to kill an animal after ingesting and take a significant amount of time to break down once in the environment. Due to the poison's longevity and its delay in causing death, rodents which have ingested the poison can be caught and devoured by other animals — such as owls, snakes or even pet dogs and cats — delivering the deadly dose intended to the rodent its devourer instead. The poison has proved so pervasive it has been found in possums across Australia and has been found at lethal levels within a critically endangered Carnaby's black-cockatoo. In an even more recent Edith Cowan University-led research paper SGARs were found in five of Australia's large native carnivores from WA's chuditch to the critically endangered Tasmanian devil. SGARs have been banned in the United Kingdom and California, but still are able to be purchased on the shelf in most Australian stores. The move to make the Shire of Harvey Owl Friendly came from shire president Michelle Campbell who said it was a simple act the shire could adopt, and came at an apt time with the shire also voting to adopt its first biodiversity strategy earlier in the meeting. 'We are not the first local government to consider this and hopefully not the last moving forward,' she said. 'Second generation rodenticides are indiscriminate and the eradication of its use will not only be beneficial to owls and birds, but also to many other native animals and our domestic pets.'
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers push for ban on widely used household product that can poison children: 'We raised the alarm in 2013'
A toxin endangering public health could be on the way out in Connecticut, where lawmakers are pushing to restrict a common form of pest control. As detailed by CT News Junkie, lawmakers have introduced House Bill 6915 to limit the use and sale of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, or SGARs. These powerful pesticides were developed after rodents became resistant to first-generation iterations, per the Environmental Protection Agency. They can remain in animal bodies for at least one week after ingestion and are known to kill bald eagles — a protected species that helps to control disease-carrying rodent populations. They can also poison children. In 2022, the American Association of Poison Control Centers documented more than 8,000 rodenticide ingestions, half of which occurred in children under six years old, according to the National Library of Medicine. "Second-generation rodenticides have unintended targets and unintended consequences. Beloved bald eagles fall prey to these poisons regularly. We must work with the pesticide community and farmers to explore alternatives. … There are other tools in the toolbox," state Sen. Christine Cohen said prior to a Feb. 19 public hearing on the matter, per CT News Junkie. At the hearing, advocates also raised the alarm about neonicotinoids — a deadly pesticide contributing to declining pollinator populations. According to the Department of Agriculture, approximately 35% of the food we eat depends on pollinators. "We raised the alarm in 2013 about declining insect populations and again in 2021 about losing 3 billion birds since 1970. Are we going to wait until our songbirds are on the brink of extinction?" said Joyce Leiz, the executive director of the Connecticut Audubon Society. Opponents of HB 6915 pointed out that pest management is a crucial service. Rep. Joe Gresko, who serves Stratford, agreed with the assessment but advocated for HB 6915, pointing to the need for "smarter solutions that don't cause unnecessary harm," per CT News Junkie. Gresko also noted how two spider monkeys at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport died after eating poisoned rodents. At home, chemical-free versions of pest control can include trap crops and even dog fur from brushing your pet. Early returns suggest canine-led initiatives and trap plants are also effective for commercial operations, while emerging solutions include an X-ray-based approach. Do you worry about pesticides in your food? All the time Sometimes Not really I only eat organic Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "This isn't about inconveniencing anyone," Gresko added. "It's about making people aware of the impact these poisons have on our environment and animals, including pets." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
