Latest news with #masspoisoning
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mass poisoning fears after 'horrendous' discovery in front of suburban shopping centre
WARNING — DISTRESSING IMAGES: Streets surrounding a suburban Australian supermarket were in chaos over the weekend after a suspected mass-poisoning resulted in birds falling from the sky in front of shocked shoppers. The bodies of more than 200 corellas, a type of native cockatoo, were collected from gutters and footpaths at the shopping centre on the corner of Springvale and Athol Roads in Springvale, Melbourne. Michelle Phillips, who has rescued and cared for wildlife for over 25 years, told Yahoo News she feared she'll have nightmares. 'I've done lots of horrible rescues, but this is the worst,' the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter founder said. Birds were documented bleeding from the mouth, eyes and nostrils, leading first responders to believe they'd consumed rat bait. Birds are regularly fed in the area, luring large disruptive flocks to the shopping strip. But rescuers are suspicious that several bags full of seed and bread dumped on Friday and Saturday nights could be linked to the massive mortality event, and samples have been collected for testing. 'Nobody rang it in on Saturday, the cleaners just cleaned it up. Then someone rang it in on Sunday, and when I arrived, [they] were dead everywhere,' Michelle said. The falling birds created chaos on the streets, and rescuers were concerned someone would get run over as cars tried to avoid hitting them, and rubberneckers tried to get a closer look at the spectacle. 'People were stopping and taking photos. Birds were dropping everywhere in front of cars and getting run over,' Michelle added. 🚨 Calls for Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths to ditch 'toxic' product 🌵 Remarkable 26-year change revealed on Aussie desert property 📸 Rare colour footage of extinct Australian animal seen again after 90 years Pictures supplied to Yahoo News show the bodies of dozens of corellas and several pigeons collected by volunteer rescuers. 'It was gruesome. It was heartbreaking. We try and save these animals, and it seems like some bastard is trying to kill them deliberately,' she said. 'It was horrendous. We walked the streets, because they were just dropping on top of people's houses. There was more in a nearby school which we couldn't get, it's school holidays luckily, or kids would have turned up and found them on Monday. Suspicious mass poisonings of corellas and other cockatoo species have frequently been documented around Australia, particularly around farms in South Australia and suburban NSW. In March, after around 200 corellas suddenly died in Newcastle, testing by the NSW EPA found evidence it was caused by Fenitrothion, a common agricultural insecticide. In Victoria, it is illegal to kill native wildlife without a permit from the Department of Environment (DEECA). The agency describes cockatoos as 'highly intelligent' and recommends scaring combined with shooting as a means of control. Poisoning any cockatoo species is illegal in Victoria. It's understood eight corellas were taken to Healesville Sanctuary for assessment, and Yahoo is seeking clarification as to whether any survived. RSPCA Victoria confirmed it is aware of the incident, and because it involves native wildlife, it has been referred to DEECA. It has been contacted for comment. On Monday morning, Michelle collected the bodies of 13 more birds. She remains at the scene, ready to help as birds continue to die. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The toxic web of lesbian trysts in the hellhole women's prison that awaits mushroom killer Erin Patterson - including a jail affair even the guards find 'unsettling'
She's just been convicted of a shocking mass poisoning - now mushroom killer Erin Patterson Behind bars at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Victoria's toughest women's prison, the former Leongatha housewife is now surrounded by hardened criminals, whose same-sex trysts help decide the pecking order.
CNA
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
ByteDance mass food poisoning: Catering company Yunhaiyao pleads guilty
Scroll up for the next video X ByteDance mass food poisoning: Catering company Yunhaiyao pleads guilty
News24
03-07-2025
- Health
- News24
A threat to vultures is a threat to people: Inside Kruger's vulture poisoning crisis
Supplied Kruger National Park officials have raised the alarm over a mass poisoning that killed over 120 vultures, calling it one of the worst in recent years and warning it could push the endangered species towards extinction. Rescue teams managed to save 81 vultures through an unprecedented joint operation. Experts warn that the poison used – an organophosphate so lethal it's nicknamed 'two-step' – poses severe risks to humans, pets and water systems, with even trace exposure potentially fatal. In the heart of the Kruger National Park, conservationists are racing against time to protect one of the most critically endangered species on the continent – the vulture. A mass poisoning incident early in May, in the Mahlangeni section of the park, left more than 120 vultures dead and reignited concerns over escalating threats to biodiversity, public health and the safety of South Africa's most iconic national park. Kruger Park rangers, working in partnership with wildlife NGOs and rehabilitation experts, mounted what they described as one of the largest vulture rescue operations in history, saving 84 poisoned birds, 81 of which were successfully rehabilitated and released. But the victory is bittersweet. Acting swiftly may have saved a few dozen, but dozens more died, and the long-term implications remain grim. 'It was a collaborative effort and quite an incredible effort,' said Mahlangeni section ranger Andrew Desmet. We lost over 120 vultures, but we saved 84. It was only due to the collaborative effort that we were able to respond quickly. Andrew Desmet The poisoning scene City Press recently visited the site near Mahlangeni where the poisoned vultures had been discovered – a grim, desolate space still reeking of decay. The area is located over 3km from the closest patrol base, deep within the bush. The scene is seared into Desmet's memory. 'You can just imagine ... vultures dead; others half-dead, flapping around. The vulture doesn't think you're there to save it; it thinks you're there to kill it,' he said. 'They bite you; they run from you. Once you catch one, you can't let it go. And we were 3km from help.' The poisoned carcass – an elephant – had been butchered for meat. Its remains were laced with highly toxic organophosphates, known among rangers as 'two-step' poisons. They call some of these poisons 'two-step' because it's so toxic. If you get a little bit in you, you literally take two steps and you're dead. Andrew Desmet Lunga Simelane This was not just a targeted attack on vultures. Desmet explained that poisoning kills indiscriminately: predators, scavengers and even humans who may unknowingly consume or touch contaminated meat or water. 'If you poison a carcass, you don't only kill vultures; you kill any scavenger or predator that comes and feeds. Humans who come into contact with that meat can die. The poison can wash into water systems,' he warned. READ: Vultures just years away from extinction in Kruger park Technology and rapid response The incident might have gone unnoticed if not for tracking technology. A few vultures in the region carry satellite-linked GPS 'backpacks' – expensive but vital tools for monitoring bird movements. 'You can't track every vulture. But vultures congregate. If you see three birds with tracking units, there are probably 100 birds there,' said Desmet. The alert came late at night, around 9pm, when one of the GPS units registered a mortality signal. Desmet and his team launched into emergency response mode, coordinating aerial patrols and ground teams. He was airborne by dawn, flying a light aircraft over the area. 'I could see the elephant carcass, and I could see many dead vultures. But more urgently, I saw about 50 vultures flopping around – still alive but clearly poisoned,' he said. Helicopters were deployed to extract birds, and one of the most critical allies arrived on the scene: the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, led by Nikita Rapo. 'As we arrived, we started with the treatment,' said Rapo. The first step is an injection of atropine. Then we milk the crop to remove the poisoned meat, administer activated charcoal and then give fluids every two hours to flush the poison. Nikita Rapo Out of the 84 vultures taken to the centre, only three died. One succumbed during transportation, another had a broken pelvis, and a third suffered from aspiration complications. The remaining 81 were rehabilitated and released after two weeks. 'The poison slows the heart, shuts the body down' Leah Brown, a veterinary nurse with Wildscapes Veterinary Services, who assisted with the recovery operation, explained the critical role of atropine in treating poisoned vultures – and how deadly the toxins are to any organism exposed. 'What the poison actually does to the body is that it slows the heart rate down to a point where the animal can no longer circulate its own blood,' said Brown. 'If your heart fails, you won't survive, so the medicine Nikita mentioned – atropine – is crucial. It works to elevate the heart rate and keep the circulatory system going so that we can at least try to treat everything else that's happening. As long as the cardiovascular system is working, then we can try to work on whatever else is going on.' Brown warned that these organophosphate toxins are so potent that even trace exposure poses a serious health risk to humans and animals. We will suffer the same effects, so we shouldn't ingest these toxins either because they're going to have similar effects on our neurosystem. Leah Brown 'You don't wear your shoes inside the house; you need to clean them thoroughly. Any little trace of these toxins – they're so potent. You walk it through your house, and your dog accidentally licks the floor – that's all it takes.' Field teams wore gloves at all times, though handling struggling birds with sharp beaks often damaged their protective equipment. 'We tried our best just to keep our hands covered as much as possible ... and to not touch any contaminated meat at all. We kept the regurgitated food in a bucket, and that bucket gets burnt with the fire.' A deeper environmental threat For Kruger, the stakes go beyond a single event. 'We're very, very concerned about the Kruger park and our vulture population,' Desmet said. 'It's nesting time now, and with these poisonings, you're wiping out generations of vultures.' Vultures are known as nature's undertakers. Their role in the ecosystem is vital – they consume rotting carcasses that would otherwise spread disease and contaminate water sources. 'Without them, you would get carcasses just rotting slowly in the veld. That would spread disease and have a negative impact on the environment,' Desmet said. While rhino poaching garners widespread attention, vulture poisonings are becoming just as alarming. Desmet noted that, while rhinos are listed as vulnerable or endangered, 'vultures are currently classified as endangered'. Understaffed and overwhelmed Part of the challenge is scale. The Mahlangeni section alone spans over 100 000 hectares, with more than 40km of boundary fence. Despite this, it is typically patrolled by just eight field rangers – often fewer due to sick leave or rotation. 'You divide them into twos for safety, which means only four patrols covering this vast area. It's almost an impossible task,' Desmet said. Kruger's strategy has shifted towards community engagement, building trust and cooperation with people living adjacent to the park. 'We don't protect the park for ourselves. Our job is to protect it for you – the public, your children and your children's children,' Desmet said. 'But we need the communities to work with us.' Meat, not ivory Unlike many poaching incidents targeting elephants for their tusks, this case was about meat. 'The main thing these poachers were after was meat,' Desmet confirmed. 'They harvested meat from the elephant and, when they finished, they laced the carcass with poison.' This trend of commercial bushmeat trade using poison is growing, and it threatens not only wildlife but also community health and regional stability. What now? While the rescue operation stands as a model of rapid coordination, Desmet acknowledges that the tools are reactive, responding only after the damage begins. The ultimate goal must be prevention. 'Ideally, we want to get to a situation where we could stop the poisoning altogether,' Desmet said. 'That's where we actually need to be.'
