Poisonings a blow to birds of prey

WITH poisoning of foxes and crows now illegal, farmers are being urged to find other ways of controlling pests, especially those that prey on young lambs.

Protected birds of prey have become the inadvertent victims of poisoning and, since 2007, 20 such birds have been confirmed to have been poisoned illegally, 12 in 2010 alone. The deaths have led to a negative image for Irish farming and tourism and have seriously undermined novel conservation projects around the country.

Poisoning is the biggest problem affecting the projects, which include the reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle to Kerry, the golden eagle to Donegal and red kites to Wicklow. In all three counties, farm organisations have agreed to join in efforts with conservation and tourism industries to promote the control of foxes and crows without reverting to poisoning.

Earlier this year, three white-tailed eagles, which had been released in Killarney National Park, were found dead in the Beaufort area of Co Kerry. The deaths occurred within a four-week period and post-mortem examinations showed the birds had consumed the substance, carbofuran. It is most likely all died by ingesting the same bait laid out for foxes or crows.

Toxicology tests have also confirmed that a red kite found dead in Aughavananagh, Co Wicklow, in April, died from Alphachloralose poisoning. Again, the poison may have been laid out illegally to kill grey crows.

It appears that many farmers and gun clubs believe that Alphachloralose is licensed for the control of foxes and crows. However, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has confirmed that there is no pesticide registered or approved in the Republic for poisoning of birds or foxes.

Alphachloralose was previously registered to kill crows, but this approved use was removed by the department in line with an EU decision in November 2008. Alphachloralose is now only registered and approved in Ireland for the control of mice.

Alphachloralose has been implicated in 15 of the 20 bird of prey poisonings. There are two forms of Alphachloralose available in Ireland. Mouse control baits, containing less than 4% Alphachloralose, are widely available in farm supply outlets and other stores.

A more concentrated and dangerous form of Alphachloralose may be supplied through chemists, where a person has to sign a poisons register while purchasing it.

The Golden Eagle Trust (GET), which is managing the bird of prey reintroduction projects in Kerry, Donegal and Wicklow, has called on chemists not to sell this product, or stock it, unless there are genuine legal reasons to do so.

Anyone found using pesticides beyond their approved and registered uses would be in breach of Single Farm Payment scheme regulations and their payments could be reduced, as a result.

“’There needs to be a concerted effort to raise awareness amongst landowners that poisoning of foxes and crows is now illegal. This awareness campaign needs to emphasise lawful control,”’ said Lorcan O’Toole, of GET.

Generations of farmers have been using poisoned meat bait for foxes. Problem is, however, that eagles, being meat and fish eaters, are also drawn to the bait, with fatal consequences.

Undoubtedly, some farmers are plagued by foxes and regularly suffer heavy losses: every lamb lost is €50 to €100 out of a farmer’s pocket. But there are alternative ways of keeping pests at bay.

In some countries farmers use electric fencing to cordon off their sheep during the lambing season which in Ireland runs from February to May. The alternatives can be expensive.

In spite of setbacks the reintroduction programmes are continuing. Nine white-tailed eaglets were released in Killarney National Park last Wednesday and 13 more will be set free this week.

Losses have to be expected and some birds have died from natural causes, but the hope is that enough will survive to breed. Dr Allan Mee, director of the Kerry project, believes breeding pairs could become established in parts of Kerry, or west Cork, in the next two to three years.

White-tailed eagles are sea eagles and, though released in Killarney National Park, the expectation is that they will gravitate towards the sea. There’s a thriving sea eagle population in Norway, which has featured in some excellent television documentaries showing the birds elegantly soaring into the skies.

Little wonder then that the tourism industry is so enthusiastic about the reintroduction projects. The Killarney eagles, by the way, are being donated by the Norwegian wildlife authorities.

While obviously concerned about the poisonings, the Norwegians are are hoping that sufficient birds will survive to eventually breed and provide the basis for a permanent eagle population.

The Golden Eagle Trust is working in partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Service on all the projects.