Category: Masai Mara, Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Nov 01 2009 | By: paula

WildlifeDirect has been raising the alarm about cattle in Kenya’s parks for some time know - cattle grazing in the park will lead to conflict with lions and this has an inevitable outcome. CAttle will die and then lions will be killed  in retaliation.  We warned of diseases when cattle started dying in the parks, and Dino wrote about it in his blog dudu diaries here.  The authorities ignored our comments and concerns about the cattle invasion when we warned that an Anthrax outbreak would affect cattle, wildlife and people.  I even went on radio about it and finally it seems, people woke up and began to listen.

In a recent article in the Daily Nation, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) admitted that

“A total of 10 lions have been killed by herders who have lost their cattle to the large cats. In one case, farmers poisoned a carcass and it left for the lions. It killed not just a lion, but also 300 vultures that ate the carcasses of the cow and the lion”.

No doubt these ten lions were from one pride and were poisoned. The loss of 300 vultures suggests that the poisoning was widespread - this could not have been just one incident.We will try to get details on what actually happened and determine if carbofuran was to blame.

The head of the Species Program, Mr Omondi,  warned herders that they should expect to lose some of their animals if they choose to break the law and let them graze in protected areas.

The problem of livestock in game reserves which WildlifeDirect raised on Kiss FM Radio as well as through our blogs is so serious that it has consumed the greatest budget line for KWS during recent months.

The KWS says that the greatest challenge it faces is that in Reserves like the Maasai Mara, the management authority, the Narok County Council, turns a blind eye to the herders. Sadly the same is true of KWS who have for years allowed grazers into parks during annual dry seasons.To date we do not know of a single herder that has been prosecuted for illegal grazing, or of poisoning lions, vultures, hyenas or other animals.

This story reveals just how difficult it is for KWS to control the situation and protect Kenya’s lions.  Lions live mainly in areas that are not under KWS control. Many protected areas are poorly managed. There is nothing stopping herders from entering parks and reserves - even if one is caught, there are no penalties. Moreover, there are no incentives for communities to protec t lions and other wildlife outside of the protected areas. When  livestock are killed, the KWS is supposed to compensate owners, but this is a lengthy and controversial if not poorly managed process. Add tho this the easy access to pesticides like deadly carbofuran and any pastoralist can solve the problem of predation in an instant. Just a few granules of the purple killer will deal with an entire pride plus any other stragglers or plike hyenas.

Tags: Africa, carbofuran, FMC, furadan, Kenya, KWS, Lion, lion poisoning, lions, Maasai, Masai Mara, Pesticides, predators, Wildlife, Wildlifedirect

2 responses so far

Category: Masai Mara, Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Oct 29 2009 | By: paula

Despite all the evidence raised by WildlifeDirect and partners on the impact of Carbofuran on wildlife (lions, birds, fish, insects), the Kenya Pest Control Products Board has not been supportive and indeed states that there is no evidence that the product is dangerous. Unlike Canada and USA, the Kenya Government does not provide consumers with any information on the impacts that products we use are having on people or the environment.

The US EPA is proceeding toward cancellation of carbofuran registrations, to address risks to pesticide applicators and birds.  In 2006, in addition to dietary risks, EPA identified significant occupational and ecological risks from the use of carbofuran. Although carbofuran uses have benefits, EPA concluded that carbofuran products pose an unreasonable risk to human beings and the natural environment, and these risks outweigh the benefits of continued use. Therefore, all uses of carbofuran must be cancelled.In Canada, all products containing carbofuran are proposed for phase out because, based on available scientific information, they do not meet Health Canada’s current standards for human health and environmental protection and pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. Additional mitigation measures are not being proposed at this time.

We submit that if carbofuran is too dangerous to be used in USA and Canada then it is too dangerous to be used in Kenya.

Frederick M. Fishel at the University of Florida Pesticide Information Office  has written up a detailed account about Carbofuran and the cancellation process on their website. The following content comes from that site.

Carbofuran is a carbamate insecticide/nematicide, first registered in the United States in 1969. Carbofuran is classified as a restricted-use pesticide due to acute oral and inhalation toxicity. Carborfuran inhibits cholinesterase enzymes, affecting nerve-impulse transmission. Several formulations of the trade product, Furadan^®, are currently available (Figure 1). Although carbofuran has various registered uses, some of the commodities carbofuran is applied to in Florida include potato, corn, sugarcane, and cotton.

In the late 1990s, to reduce risks posed to drinking water and the natural environment due to carbofuran use, the manufacturer, Food Machinary and Chemical Corporation (FMC), made a number of changes to labels for flowable carbofuran. These changes included reducing the label-allowed application rates and numbers of applications.

• Topics: Pesticide Information Office  |  Fishel, Frederick M  |  Insecticides  |  Nematicides

Carbofuran Cancellation Process¹

Frederick M. Fishel²

This EDIS publication provides a brief history of carbofuran’s use in the United States, describes risks associated with carbofuran use, and outlines the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) stated rational for revoking its regulations that have allowed carbofuran residues in food. This publication also describes the EPA’s plans announced in 2008 to cancel the pesticide’s registration due to risks carbofuran poses to pesticide applicators and to birds in treated fields.

Carbofuran Background

Carbofuran is a carbamate insecticide/nematicide, first registered in the United States in 1969. Carbofuran is classified as a restricted-use pesticide due to acute oral and inhalation toxicity. Carborfuran inhibits cholinesterase enzymes, affecting nerve-impulse transmission. Several formulations of the trade product, Furadan^®, are currently available (Figure 1). Although carbofuran has various registered uses, some of the commodities carbofuran is applied to in Florida include potato, corn, sugarcane, and cotton.

In the late 1990s, to reduce risks posed to drinking water and the natural environment due to carbofuran use, the manufacturer, Food Machinary and Chemical Corporation (FMC), made a number of changes to labels for flowable carbofuran. These changes included reducing the label-allowed application rates and numbers of applications.

Figure 1.  Furadan 4F is an example of a carbofuran trade product currently on the market in USA.

To date, three human studies have been conducted for carbofuran – one oral and two dermal. In May 2006, these studies were reviewed by the EPA’s Human Studies Review Board (HSRB). The Board concluded that, while the studies were informative, the results are not appropriate for use by the EPA in either the individual carbofuran or carbamate cumulative risk assessment. The EPA did not use the results of the human studies in the risk assessment for carbofuran. Carbofuran is classified by the EPA as “Not Likely” to be a human carcinogen.

Ecological Effects

Carbofuran is:

• Very highly toxic to birds on an acute basis and highly toxic on a sub-acute basis. A chronic-effect level could not be established because all concentrations tested caused mortality in the test subjects.
• Highly toxic to mammals on an acute basis. Chronic toxicity testing on laboratory rats showed reduced offspring survival and body-weight reductions.
• Very highly toxic to freshwater and estuarine/marine fish on an acute basis. The available chronic test showed larval survival as the most sensitive endpoint for freshwater fish. Embryo hatching was indicated as the most sensitive endpoint for estuarine/marine fish.
• Very highly toxic to freshwater and estuarine/marine invertebrates on an acute basis. Chronic tests showed reproductive effects.

Pesticide Reregistration

All pesticides sold or distributed in the United States must by law be registered by the EPA, based on scientific studies showing that the pesticide can be used without posing unreasonable risks to people or to the environment. Additionally, the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 protects the public from health risks presented with exposure to excessive pesticide residues in/on foods and everyday surroundings, such as in the home and at places of employment. This FQPA amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) with respect to the EPA’s process of establishing tolerances for pesticide residues in food and in the atmosphere. As a result, pesticides first registered by the EPA before November 1, 1984, must be reregistered to ensure that the pesticides meet today’s more-stringent standards, which are due to advances in scientific knowledge.

In evaluating pesticides for reregistration, EPA obtains and reviews comprehensive studies from pesticide producers describing each pesticide’s effects to human health and the environment. To implement provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996, EPA considers the special sensitivity of infants and children to pesticides, as well as aggregate exposure of the public to pesticide residues from all sources and the cumulative effects of pesticides and other compounds with common mechanisms of toxicity.

EPA develops any mitigation measures or regulatory controls needed to effectively reduce each pesticide’s risks. EPA then reregisters pesticides that meet current standards for human health and safety. According to the EPA, these are the pesticides that can be used without posing unreasonable risks to human health and the environment.

When a pesticide is eligible for reregistration, EPA explains in a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) reasons for the decision on whether to reregister the pesticide or cancel registration for the pesticide.

Tolerance Revocation

Due to considerable risks associated with carbofuran in food and drinking water, EPA is revoking its regulations that have allowed carbofuran residues in food. Because dietary exposures to infants and children are of particular concern, the EPA is moving to revoke carbofuran tolerances first, before cancelling carbofuran registrations. This approach provides the most direct and timely means to realize protection of children from dietary risks. It also allows multiple stakeholders an additional opportunity to comment.

According to a statement released by the EPA on July 24, 2008, even though carbofuran is used on a small percentage of the U.S. food supply and therefore the likelihood of human exposure through food is low, EPA has identified risks that do not meet their rigorous food safety standards. EPA is taking the necessary steps to address these risks to ensure that the U.S. has the safest food supply possible. Children and others should continue to eat a variety of foods, as recommended by the federal government and nutritional experts.

In a Federal Register notice signed in July 2008, EPA is proposing to revoke all U.S. carbofuran tolerances. EPA specifically will request comment on whether any individual carbofuran tolerances, or group of tolerances, meet the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) safety standard. It is possible that one or more individual carbofuran tolerances could be maintained, if information is provided to demonstrate that the tolerance(s) would be safe.

Revoking carbofuran tolerances is part of a broader series of EPA actions to cancel all uses of carbofuran in the U.S. due to human dietary, occupational, and ecological risks of concern. After moving to revoke carbofuran tolerances, EPA subsequently plans to publish a Notice of Intent to Cancel all carbofuran registrations.

EPA establishes tolerances for pesticides that may be found on foods and can also revoke tolerances to better safeguard public health and the environment. The EPA must modify or revoke any tolerance that it determines is unsafe, that is, that does not meet the safety standard of the FFDCA. The EPA is proposing to revoke all tolerances for carbofuran because exposure through food and drinking water does not meet the FFDCA safety standard.

 Canada

This information is from the Canada Pest Control Board.

 “After a re-evaluation of the insecticide carbofuran, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, is proposing phase out of carbofuran products in Canada.

An evaluation of available scientific information found that, under the current conditions of use, carbofuran products pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment, and therefore do not meet Health Canada’s current standards for human health and environmental protection. As a result, all uses of carbofuran are proposed for phase-out. This includes registered uses on canola, mustard, sunflower, corn (sweet, field and silage), sugar beet, green pepper, potato, raspberry and strawberry as well as temporary emergency uses on turnip and rutabaga. The emergency uses on turnip and rutabaga were registered for the period of April 1, 2008, to August 31, 2008, and are no longer registered for use in Canada, but were included at the time of this assessment.

The PMRA’s pesticide re-evaluation program considers potential risks as well as the value of pesticide products to ensure they meet modern standards established to protect human health and the environment. Regulatory Directive DIR2001-03, PMRA Re-evaluation Program, presents the details of the re-evaluation activities and program structure. Re-evaluation draws on data from registrants, published scientific reports, information from other regulatory agencies, and any other relevant information available.

The proposal affects all end-use products registered in Canada that contain carbofuran. This Proposed Re-evaluation Decision is a consultation document that summarizes the science evaluation for carbofuran and presents the reasons for the proposed re-evaluation decision.

The information in the Portable Document Format (PDF) version of this document is presented in two parts. The Overview describes the regulatory process and key points of the evaluation, while the Science Evaluation provides detailed technical information on the human health, environmental and value assessment of carbofuran.”

Tags: carbofuran, EPA, FMC, furadan, Kenya, Paula Kahumbu, PCPB, pest control, Wildlife, wildlife poisoning

One response so far

Category: Hippopotamus, Masai Mara, Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Oct 14 2009 | By: paula

By rob

Music provided by Kevin McLeod incompetech.com - to all you out there who have stood by us we  Thank you! Your support gives us strength.

Tags: carbofuran, FMC, furadan, Kenya, KWS, Lion, lion guaridans, lions, Martin Odino, Masai Mara, Paula Kahumbu, Richard Leakey, Wildlifedirect

11 responses so far

Category: Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Sep 23 2009 | By: paula

Sad news, we’ve just heard that five more lions have died as a result of pesticide poisoning. We are waiting for results. The Kenya Wildlife Service has come out loud and clear about the role that Furadan is playing in the killing of lions.This graph says it all. Of the 100 lions killed in the last 12 months, 34% were poisoned with Furadan and another 8% with other pesticides and 2% with strychnine (a rodenticide). These data show that pesticide poisoning of lions is the number 1 cause of mortality for lions in Kenya.

I have even more bad news. Enoch has just came back from Tanzania and brought me a gift - a 200 g package of Furadan purchased a local Agrovet Store. It cost 2,700TZ shillings that’s $1.50.

The package says it is distributed by Juanco SPS ltd which is based in Nairobi, Kenya,  and the  date of manufacture is November 2008.

If you recall, FMC the manufacturer of Furadan announced to us on April 15th 2009 in Nairobi that they had not sent any product  to Kenya since May 2008.

“When allegations surfaced in the spring of 2008 in the Maasai Mara region, we immediately stopped the introduction of any additional Furadan into the sales channel in Kenya“

If you read the minutes carefully you will note that FMC asked us to submit all incident reports involving Furadan pesticide poisoning  to the Pests Control Products Board in Kenya. We do this and we copy to FMC diligently. However, to date we have had no response from the PCPB - they have not investigated a single incident that we reported, but yet they claim that they suspect we are tampering with samples and incidents. Indeed I was asked if I expected anyone to believe that the public were eating birds poisoned with furadan. If only they would take the short trip to Bunyala or Ahero to see for themselves! I’m sorry but their attitude just feels down right irresponsible.

It’s true, it is an offence to misuse any pesticide product according to the Pests Control Products Act, however, the PCPB is responsible for assessing and evaluating pest control products. Teh Board may refuse to register a pst control product if in its opinion the use of the product would lead to unacceptable risk or harm to things in relation to its intended use, or public health, plants, animals or the enviroment. The Board can suspend or revoke a certificate of registration if new information has become available tot eh board which renders the pest control product unsafe or dangerous.  We have looked at a number of websites and we believe that carbofuran cannot be used safely in Kenya where most farmers do not use protective gear, are sometimes illiterate and are often untrained.

The World Health Organization (WHO) data sheet on pesticides no. 56 which is about carbofuran states that all workers must be medically examined, wear full protective gear including respirators and that “all formulations must carry labeling DANGER - POISON” with skull and cross bones.

The US Environmental Protection Agency EPA says that “dietary, worker and ecological risks are unacceptable for all uses of carbofuran”

Sadly the Kenyan PCPB are not willing to listen, they have not responded to our reports and claim that we are fabricating the photographs and evidence that is contained in these blogs. For this reason they claim, they will not investigate. Hang on, doesn’t that sound odd? If they suspect I’m fabricating data then why not prove it and then discredit everything I’m saying? Thankfully the media are not convinced that I’m a compulsive liar and judging from recent reports, there is growing concern about this.

It is very depressing that the Kenya government which has already overseen such suffering of people continue to let us down. It is even sadder that the worlds richest nation bans toxic pesticides to protect it’s own population, but sees no wrong in sending them to poor countries like Kenya.

Tags: furadan, Kenya, KWS, Lion, lion poisoning, lions, Tanzania, wildlife poisoning, Wildlifedirect, wildlifepoisoning

3 responses so far

Category: Masai Mara, Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Sep 18 2009 | By: paula

Dear Friends, this report is just in from Arusha from a colleague. We will get photos shortly.

“I met a guy who confessed that Furadan has been recently (2weeks ago)
used to kill 5 lions around Serengeti. TANAPA are investigating and
they have taken samples of the dead lions to establish the actual
poison. The story was; the lions killed a giraffe near a maasai boma.
The Maasai, fearing the lions would attack their livestock after
finishing the giraffe, they laced the remaining giraffe carcass with
furadan. That evening the lions came back and 5 of them were found
dead near there the following morning!! There is a lot of Furadan in
Arusha. I bought a 500 gms from the Tanzania farmers association shop
at an equivalent of $15. Kisamo (TANAPA) promised he would share the
lab findings of the samples once they are out. He will also send us
the photos when he gets them from the guys who went to the ground when
the incident occurred! I am sure we won’t win the battle if Tanzania
still has the furadan distributed by JUANCO from Nairobi.”

Tags: carbofuran, furadan, Lion, lions, Masai Mara, pesticide poisoning, Pesticides, Serengeti, Wildlifedirect

2 responses so far

Category: Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Sep 16 2009 | By: paula

This report just came in from Tanzania

“Most of the agro shops have Furadan in Kampala. It is in KISORO as well right next to the Gorillas. I have samples of a blue powder from the Game Dept in Uganda taken at the site of poisonings .

There have been bad kill off of hyena and vultures. The game Dept in Uganda has lots of info,  pics and test results of lion poisoning .  They cant afford expensive testing but they know when it is carbofuran poisoning as the guts are like jello.  It is going to get to the GORILLAS. I just know it .They are only a few miles away and come into the agro fields to feed . I was with them in Uganda and DR CONGO ..

Very few raptor birds left in Uganda. Saw only 3 vultures in 2wks.

We just cant loose any more wild life to poisoning.”

Tags: furadan, Lion, lion poisoning, lions, wildlife poisoning, Wildlifedirect, wildlifepoisoning

3 responses so far

Category: Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Sep 15 2009 | By: paula

We just received this from someone who wants to remain anonymous

I checked out Furadan sales in the town of Arusha. We found it in the first store we went to. And, lots of it, available in 200 gm, 500 gm and 1 kilo amounts. We asked what it was used for and the first response was for crops. Probing a little, we then asked why would we see it out in livestock areas where we work. Response, without hesitation, was it is used to poison lions and hyenas and other predators. A number of other stores were checked and they all said that they carried Furadan, were currently out of stock, but would have more on Monday. So, it is a hot item and still being restocked.

We purchased 200 gm for $1.30 and have scanned and attached the label here. Interesting to note it was manufactured November 2008. Mentions the distributor in Kenya as well. My feeling is that it is still readily available and very popular amongst smaller, local communities here in Tanzania.

I can tell you that we have lost at least 10 lions in the last 6 months to poisoning in the Tarangire ecosystem. A colleague of mine obtained a poison sample, but it was not large enough for adequate testing.

Tags: carbofuran, furadan, Lion, lion poisoning, lions, pesticide, wildlife poisoning, Wildlifedirect

4 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized, carbofuran, lions | Date: Aug 20 2009 | By: Martin Odino

Dear readers,

This information is found in Telegraph. co.uk.(August 18th, 2009)

Conservationists have warned that lions may become extinct in Kenya within the next 20 years unless urgent action is taken to save them.

Kenya is annually losing an average of 100 of its 2,000 lions due to growing human settlements, increasing farming, climate change and disease, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

And “….there are ever more efficient ways, including poisoning, to kill lions,” explains Dr. Laurence Frank.

Read the full article here.

But is it really 20 years or 10 years and markedly, Furadan is a key player in the catastrophic die out  of the lions and other big cats. Read it all in “Kenya’s lions could vanish within 10 years“, from The NewScientist.

Technorati : Kenya Wildlife Service, Lions, The Telegraph, The NewScientist

Tags: Kenya Wildlife Service, lions, The Telegraph

2 responses so far

Category: Masai Mara, carbofuran, lions | Date: Jul 27 2009 | By: paula

Dear friends,

Last night CBS 60 minutes re-ran the story on the link between the collapse of lion populations in Africa, and the misuse of the pestsicide Furadan, a carbofuran produced in the USA. There is a video here and the online piece attracted 119 comments.

Hopefully this piece will  energise the discussions in Kenya about the call for a ban on carbofuran.

Paula

Tags: carbofuran, CBS, furadan, lions, Poisoning wildlife

One response so far

Category: carbofuran, lions | Date: Jun 11 2009 | By: paula

An angel has set up a petition on Care2 to help get carbofuran banned in Kenya. It includes a letter to the Minister for Tourism in Kenya.  The petition currently has over 14,000 signatures!  

Thank you who ever you are who is helping us silently from out there. We continue to work hard and really appreciate all your support.

From all of us at WildlifeDirect

Tags: carbofuran, care2, FMC, furadan, lions, poisoning, Wildlifedirect

2 responses so far