Stop Wildlife Poisoning

Bunyala Rice Irrigation field may just be known as the most westerly paddy plantation in Kenya and possibly one of the most expanded in recent years.

But the area is the heartland of  a once remarkable macrobiodiversity area. The neighborhoods are known by names of  animals once known of the area. Budalang’i area, once locally reminiscent  of the biblical Noah’s floods  due to its yearly seasonal flooding depicts a place of Lions. Close by is an area whose name translates to the Eland and tales and evidence of skin souvenirs of Jackals, Hyenas and Cheetahs among others can be found hung high up in the sheds of small domestic livestock. Tales are also told of gazelles and hares that were once numerous and would spring out of any other bush in the area.In many youth’s memory is also the Southern Ground Hornbill. The mostly biped bird currently listed under the Vulnerable threat category by the IUCN Red list of threatened species quietly matched out of the area to oblivion!

Human pressure like elsewhere on the continent and beyond is to blame for this undocumented and huge biodiversity wipe-out in Bunyala. Bunyala Rice Irrigation Scheme came as a blessing to the human residents …but also a curse in disguise to humans consuming intoxicated birds and a pure curse to primarily the birds. Phenomenal flocks of local birds visit the site to forage.

Photo taken in January 2011

A flock of Black-tailed Godwits from northern Europe at Bunyala Rice Scheme

Photo taken in January 2011

Collared Pratincoles at Bunyala

Other species not easily found elsewhere have found a home in the wetland conditions of the plantation even probably synchronizing their breeding patterns to fall between the planting/harvesting seasons to maximize on their breeding success.

Photo taken in June 2011

Locally uncommon Greater Painted Snipe in Bunyala

Photo taken in June 2011

The unobtrusive & restless Little Rush Warbler in Bunyala

But perhaps the most worrying scenario is that of famished migrating birds some from far northern Europe and even Asia which are mostly waders . These come to Bunyala Irrigation Scheme to gorge themselves, fueling up for their southern-bound and then the return northern-bound journeys. Here, I have seen thick flocks of birds that blot out the sunrise! the density so gross than I have ever witnessed during waterbird counts by Nature Kenya and the Ornithology section of the National Museums of Kenya at some of the remarkable water bodies of the Rift Valley known to harbor large numbers of such birds.

Photo taken in January 2011

Flock of the palaearctic migrant, White-winged Black Terns at Bunyala Rice Scheme.

While these are not directly targeted for poisoning, the stampede that ensues while poisoning other birds, mostly Openbills scares the birds away.

Photo taken in January 2011

Waders at Bunyala Rice Scheme

The sandpiper waders inclusive of the Spotted Redshank (to the left), Black-tailed Godwit (the bulkiest in the photo and categorized as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list) as well as the Ruff (at the foreground of the photo) above are targeted for poisoning. Others include the Wood Sandpipers documented in earlier posts. The list is long and a total of 33 species of birds are at risk of which 9 are migrants.

A study I carried out during 2009 found estimated mortality losses of 3 in every 10 birds on either the northern or southern bound journeys due to deliberate Furadan poisoning of the birds. Over half the number of individuals that use this site are therefore lost to poisoning every year. Yet migrating birds maintain remarkable fidelity to their stop-over or winter sites. Therefore, as long as there is still poisoning in Bunyala, this vital site for birds remains a dreadful sink for numerous resident and migratory bird species.

Please continue reading the blog and support through donations or otherwise our campaign to end wildlife and bird poisoning in Bunyala and elsewhere.

The ruling by the supreme court against revocation of carbofuran tolerances on food in the United States yet again shows us the way to go concerning carbofuran. Clearly, the substance is not justifiably safe.

When FMC announced that they were withdrawing supply of Furadan to Kenya (& East Africa) in 2009, for a moment we believed that biodiversity would be a little safer. But we needed more than just have Furadan withdrawn by the manufacturer. Specifically the Kenyan law on Furadan (other deadly toxic pesticides) needed to specify its position as far as legislation of deadly toxic pesicide is concerned especially following voluntary withdrawal by the legal manufacturer and licenced supplier of the product.

Indeed we saw invigorated buy-back by the Kenyan distributor, JUANCO and welcome support by FMC to be informed where the pesticide was still at large. In a few months, the agrovet shops were out of stock of the poison. Incidences of lion poisoning seemed on the decline whereas bird poachers at irrigation schemes seemed to be absorbed into other professions like fishing and crop farming for the case of Bunyala.

But soon what we feared for most of the indifferent law, its legislators and the enforcers started manifesting itself- Furadan was again within easy reach of poachers….& now, there are ‘new’ forms of the product!Boom! we are in an even more worying situation. Furadan 5G still remains legal in Kenya. Actually it might never even have been withdrawn at all. JUANCO still advertises it on their website whereas the bird poachers applaud the original (FMCs) Furadan as a remarkable biocide and maintain their use of the product even presently.

In my quest for status quo of this lethal killer at the poisoning hot spot in Bunyala, I stumbled on a version that poachers term as not ideal for bird poisoning. Nonetheless, somebody’s got to be using it albeit its unknown true identity and effects.

The substance is packed in a container similar to that of FMC’s Furadan 5G but for the blue cap and seeming faded instructions label. Further, it is strong smelling, crystaline, and the purple (and some black) crystals are certainly coloured by some sort of powder otherwise just clear crystals. The substance also seems to dissolve more readily than the Furadan that was known of FMC.

Compare the container above with the familiar package on this earlier post.

Label showing manufacturer, distributor and production date (has nearly out-lived its shelf life)

Purple and black heterogenous crystals

Crystals readily colouring the water even before shaking

Some of the crystals (at the edges) totally discoloured upon shaking the mixture.

Counterfeits are enjoying Furadan’s legal status and its high demand for abuse in Kenya while human and wildlife livelihoods languish in danger from intoxication.

Lately I have focused my writing on the blog on my findings in Bunyala, one of the sites falling under rice schemes and recommended for survey as having a serious problem of biodiversity poisoning using furadan following my earlier surveys in 2007 and 2008 (check report on Furadan in Kenya at the top of the stopwildlifepoisoning blog page).

I refer to biodiversity poisoning here much as I have focused on birds because many other animals, domestic and wild die from eating intoxicated birds or the bait intended for wild birds; chicken, dogs, wild & domestic cats, snakes, monitor lizards and may be even humans. The Bunyala surveys funded by the Rufford Small Grants (RSG) whom I wish to highly acknowledge, are aimed at alerting conservation organization, pesticide regulation bodies, manufacturers (FMC in this case)and the world at large of the devastation that furadan as a poison has brought about and continues to bring to wildlife.

While Bunyala surveys are covered by the RSG funds, I wish to admit that other areas may be even experiencing a more serious problem of furadan poisoning than Bunyala continue to suffer lack of attention and publicity and the poachers continue to enjoy reaping biodiversity where they never sowed. I know of this through well wishers’ communication, mostly via email that there is serious bird poisoning in various places.

Two sites have been predominantly reported on- Mwea Rice Scheme and Ahero Rice Scheme. In the post Battling against intoxication , I mentioned that hypothetically rice schemes maintain large stocks of the pesticide, furadan. More disturbing, in Bunyala Rice Scheme, I gathered that the outgrowers are given the pesticide to use in their seedbeds, most of whom end up getting it to poachers I bet for a fee. Then Mwea and Ahero which are rice schemes are also apparently foci for bird poisoning. Well, my conviction gets stronger that my hypothesis is right. That the rice schemes could still be holding on to stockpiles of furadan and therefore indirectly fueling the heineous bird poisoning activity.

We understand that FMC are on with the buyback through JUANCO, the renowned distributor of furadan. May be ending bird poisoning by furadan stands a chance to succeed if JUANCO gets down to rice and may be even other crop irrigation schemes to buy the pesticide. It is in facilitation for the buy back targetting rice schemes that I think it is time I urgently did a baseline survey at Ahero and Mwea rice schemes. This will be similar to what I do in bunyala as highlighted in the post What I am doing in Bunyala but for a shorter time, a sort of model baseline survey for the two sites. At the same time, I will try to establish the situation of furadan at the irrigation schemes’ premises.

I need USD 385 if this survey should be succesful. Kindly help me fundraise for A MONTH OUT WITH BIRDS GETTING POISONED.I have planned for five days at each of the 2 sites in addition to the regular 14 days survey in Bunyala. Between the surveys, there will be 2 days for travel between the distantly located sites. This means a total of 28 days out in the field, which ideally is the whole of the month of June.

Budget

Ahero Rice Scheme Survey

1. Transport costs – USD 30

2. Subsistence – USD 140

3. Communication – USD 15

Subtotal = USD 185

Mwea Rice Scheme Survey

1. Transport costs -USD 45

2. Subsistence – USD 140

3. Communication – USD 15

Subtotal = USD 200

TOTAL = USD 385

In the days that I have witnessed the poisonings, some of the photos I have taken seem to speak deeper. That:

Those birds that are lucky to be alive in the death fields cannot help looking at us for redemption:

Those intoxicated expect rescucitation from a different version of the being that poisoned them; a man not inclined to poisoning.

While those caught up in the dirty poisoning business cannot help hoping for freedom some day; may be even holding out their hands in prayer!

Captive decoys involved in the dirty poisoning business!Acting as Judases against their will!

While those in death pangs, slowly succumbing to the poison can only wish for a quicker, less painfull death.

We can end such genocidal massive deaths of birds.

Hence this sad operation: A MONTH OUT WITH BIRDS GETTING POISONED, hoped to bring more consideration by relevant organizations to the poor birds through sensitization by exposing the broad extent and intensiveness of furadan poisoning to Kenyan birds. I especially hope that PCPB and AAK will appropriately sanction furadan while FMC and JUANCO hasten the buyback of furadan.

Keep returning to this blog for updates.

Hello dear readers. Yesterday we received with joy the news that FMC has officially halted the shipment of furadan into Kenya (all of East Africa, South Africa and Africa at large) and will buy back the existing stockpiles laying dangerously in our agrovet stores presumably within eight weeks. Bravo FMC!
However, while the pesticide still lies in the care of agricultural store keepers and poachers, we know poisoning by this lethal compound will still continue. Worse is if greedy agrovet store keepers will stash away some stock to continue supplying some poachers to whom the commodity is treasure (at the moment, the commodity’s cost has risen. Maximizing on sales by retailers?!).We are therefore still crying loud and bitter to the local pesticide regulation bodies to act and bar the product that may still be widely circulating out there even with the retrieval by its manufacturer. It is doubtless that this pesticide is just a careless murderer and therefore no doubt that its restriction would be the noble action to be imposed on it locally, or else it will continue with the massacre of wildlife.
My survey has and continues to witness sorry scenes but also beautiful ones, with the latter likely to be more pronounced if Furadan becomes history. Furadan poisoning of vultures in Kenya has resulted in shocking mortalities of the scavenger birds. With generally all birds of prey at the worst risk (of all kinds of birds) since they have lower reproductive rates and successes, their beauty here in Busia is something of a spectacle, but I cannot help fearing if they will survive. Not if there is evidence of poisoning of their counterparts in my full view.

The Yellow-billed Kite above was seen in my study site. A poacher confessed to having seen it feeding on a furadan poisoned waterbird.

Looking at the dorsal side of this bird, it appears poked, most likely the action of a bill of another scavenging bird. An abommination, since this other bird may also have ended up dying! It is for this reason that I fear if the raptors are surviving the poisoning alright.

The shed above is normally used by the person overseeing the field operations in rice production. After rice harvesting, the poachers take over and use it as a slaughter house! This explains the scattered feathers about the structure.

This male Common Kestrel is sitting on top of the shed above. May be to catch his breath given he is hunting insects (I saw them catch locusts) in strong tropical heat. That would be ok. Much as we know that Kestrels hunt and don’t scavenge, we can just never be so sure. With the stress of the heat and need to be well fleshed on their journey back North, I  dreaded that he may have seen some entrails thrown about by poachers and tempted to pick them up which would be risky because these would have the fresh poison. Or furadan-laced insect bait forgotten or left behind by poachers. Well, just my fear.

Another Common Kestrel came to occupy the same position after the other one had left.

Yet another Kestrel, warming up for the day.

A Kestrel, now in flight!

More Kestrels (appearing above the two hills)at a beautiful sunset.

A Black-chested Snake Eagle.

Post-furadan days should be hey days!safer birds and wildlife!

Biodiversity is faltering the world over as BBC reveals that current trends imply that world governments will fail to meet their agreed targets of curbing biodiversity loss by 2010.

Habitat loss, hunting,pollution and the grande global warming phenomenon have all come down heavily to crush biodiversity to the edge of the limit of survival. These forces are more or less operating in a worldwide scale and should only in a most fair and responsible way be handled by all the states of the world.

But poisoning seems to have a special place especially as far as wiping out birds species is concerned. As I read  National Geographic Channel’s article, Birds in “Big Trouble”Due to Drugs, Fishing,more, I could not stop feeling that poisons must be a nightmare threat capable of wiping out whole species in short time with very minimal room for the reversal of the situation. The article reiterated the catastrophic decimation of the white-rumped asian vultures due to Diclofenac poisoning by up to 99.9% of their original since 1990′s. The whole story can be read in the article Many Asian Vultures Close to Extinction.

Poisoning, which may result from pollution is operating in many regions in the world in remote locations in a most quiet way. I am however concerned by the poisoning of birds particularly in Kenya. While many tend to overlook the killing of birds because they are many, then I must say we are wrong because the kiling is mostly indiscriminate cutting across the flock species as well as the small numbered non-congregating species.

In a walk across the neighbourhood of Bunyala Rice Scheme a while ago,a young man was so determineed to show me a beautiful species that always perched on the cows like Ox-peckers but to his disappointment he could not sight it. I spotted a handful Wattled Starlings on a nearby tree in non-breeding plumage but he vehemently refused that those were not the birds. We went on to ask an elderly man grazing his cattle if he knew and had seen the birds and to his shocking surprise he confided that in a split of time it appeared the birds had vanished. We came to a poisoning site and stumbled on the carcass of a mature male wattled starling in breeding plumage concealed in a grass tuft. This was a poisoning site. From a distance I could see children and young men walking into homes with small hand-washing basins.I could not see any pool wher they may have been washing or drawing water, but why not use buckets to carry the water back to their homes? The young man I was with told me that actually the basins contained the purchased spoils of furadan poisoning which were none other than birds. He said the basins used would actually be much bigger during the peak hunting season during rice planting because the numbers poisoned would also be bigger. It then struck my mind that one conservationist and scout in Mwea Rice Scheme reported that in the 1990′s, poisoned birds quantifiable in pick ups were being ferried away from the rice scheme to unknown markets. What is common to these two sites (Bunyala and Mwea) is that in both cases, it has been reported that Tree Ducks, otherwise Whistling Ducks are almost not to be observed and most probably is because they have suffered heavy mortalities from poisoning.

This was not all. I witnessed one cyclist carrying abour 10 storks in a sack tied on his bicycle rear with  their large bills protruding beyond the sack, which gave them away. We are not just talking of poisoning of a few birds but what I would refer to as birds concentrated in habitats with food abundance thereby drawing as many of their kind as possible, yet the poisoners also give it the best of their poisoning techniques and poisons to catch the most of them-basins, sacks and pick ups of poisoned birds.

As we walked back from the poisoning site, I could not help feeling that the grsslands were more deserted by grassland birds than they should be, given the thickness of the grass density I observed. Deserted or poisoned? Likely, the latter is the justification.

This toxicity must be affecting the entire biodiversity realm. It is more than just man who should cry fowl. The chemical is all over – in the soil, water and vegetation! The New York times tells of how 25 years later, toxic sludge still torments the inhabitants of Bhopal, India.