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: 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: 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: Masai Mara, Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: Jun 06 2009 | By: paula

While we await the formal hansard or parliamentary transcripts regarding the discussion on whether to ban carbofuran in Kenya, this is the summary of what transpired in parliament last Tuesday according to KWS. Note the final table that documents a alarming number of affected species. In recommendations it is suprising that KWS does not come out strongly and recommend banning carbofuran.

MINISTRY OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO. 087

The member for Naivasha (Hon. John Mututho, MP) to ask the Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources:

(a)             If the Minister is aware of the airing of a damaging documentary on the Kenya in International Media on the 14^th April, 2009 CBS, a television network in USA, regarding death of lions in a Kenyan park?

(b)             If he can confirm that the pride of Seven (7) lions found dead in the parks were as a result of Furadan Poisoning ; and

(c)             When the Minister will, through NEMA, effect immediate ban of Furadan chemical, pending further investigations?

ANSWER

Mr. Speaker Sir, I beg to reply:

(a)    I am aware of the airing of a documentary on Sunday, March 29^th 2009 at 7 pm Eastern Time in the U.S on the CBS television network on lion deaths in Kenya occasioned by a pesticide locally known as Furadan. Although, the documentary was not screened on any of Kenya’s television stations, a commentary appeared in one of the daily news papers indicating that 75 lions were killed by furadan poisoning throughout the country. Records kept by KWS indicate that indeed 76 lions were killed by such poisoning between 2001 and 2009. Of these, 3 lions died of such poisoning in the Mara in March of 2008.

(b)    No; I can not confirm that the seven (7) lions aired in this documentary were as a result of Furadan Poisoning.

Records at the KWS indicate that only five lions died in the year 2008 as a result of Furadan poisoning. These incidences happened in the Mara Triangle and the Amboseli ecosystem areas were three and two cases were respectively reported and confirmed by the government chemist and through confessions by the people who poisoned the animals.

(c)    Following the lion poisoning cases in the Mara, Farm Machinery and Chemicals (FMC) the US manufacturer of furadan stopped further importation of the product to the country and further to the CBS documentary; FMC is in the process of buying back furadan from the Kenyan market.

In addition my Ministry is spearheading the creation of an Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Wildlife Poisoning in Kenya that will provide leadership and guidance on this matter.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Furadan and its effects

Carbofuran is the most toxic of the carbamate pesticides. It is manufactured under the trade name Furadan by Farm Machinery and Chemicals (FMC) Corporation of the US. Its correct use is to control pests in a wide variety of field crops.

Furadan usage has increased in recent years in Kenya as it is available in 88% of agro vet outlets. As Furadan is highly toxic to wildlife and is affordable, people have found it easier and simpler to use it against wildlife. Laboratory tests have shown that acute oral toxicity occurs in domestic cats at a consumption rate of 2.5-3.5mg/kg of body weight. A cat that weighs 3kg requires as low as 7.5mg to cause death. When this is extrapolated for lions whose average weight is 189kg, it would take 472.5mg (0.47g) to kill an adult lion (315mg for an adult lioness whose average weight is 126kg). This indicates the low dosages of Furadan can cause chronic toxicity in lions.

Several cases of Furadan poisoning have been reported to KWS with some cases being confirmed by the Government Chemist and or by confessions made by people who poisoned the animals. These cases reported to KWS span from the period between 1995 to 2008. Records indicate a total of 76 lions have been killed in this manner.

Our major concern is that the number of reports of Furadan associated wildlife deaths in Kenya are on the increase. Moreover, Furadan is an agrochemical that should be used in agriculture but majority of the cases reported occurred far away from agricultural areas indicating that furadan is intentionally used to kill wildlife, especially carnivores. The attached tables gives a summary of wildlife killed by Furadan poisoning since 1995 to date and table two indicates the lions killed by Furadan poisoning from 2002 to date.

COUNTER MEASURES.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the equivalent of NEMA in the US, proposed the banning of furadan in the US on 24^th July 2008 because of concerns similar to ours. The Farm Machinery and Chemicals Company (FMC) Corporation has since stopped all shipments of this product to Kenya and is in the process of buying back the product in the Kenyan Market.

This is a relief to Kenya; however there is need for intense Public education and awareness creation about the correct use of pesticides and their effects both negative and positive on the environment.

The situation is now critical as numerous other pesticides are available in the Kenyan market that can potentially be misused to kill wildlife and their ecosystems. KWS recommends the formation of an Inter-ministerial Task Force on Wildlife Poisoning which will provide leadership in this matter. The task force would comprise key stakeholders that include but not limited to KWS, PCPB, AAK, DVS, NEMA, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Public Health.

Paula’s comments

Readers should be aware that we were informed that the Minister for Wildlife directed that the inter-ministerial task force be created more than a year ago - just after the lion poisoning incident was reported in the Mara. To date it has not been formed. We hope that the Parliamentary instructions will be followed.

We at WildlifeDirect and many other conservationists welcome the openness and transparency that we are seeing from KWS over the poisoning of wildlife issues. We restate our desire to work closely with KWS on this and other conservation issues in and beyond Kenya. We also welcome FMC’s buy back and withdrawal of Furadan.

However the voluntary withdrawal is just not good enough for 3 key reasons.

1. FMC retains the right to re-introduce Furadan at any time
2. Furadan has been shown to be unsafe for use in USA where tolerance levels have been revoked by the EPA. If it s not safe enough for Americans, then it’s not safe enough for us, or anyone anywhere. See how most birds died in pick -up truck loads! These were accidental poisonings related to the proper use of carbofuran. How can we condone such a pesticide in a country that is renown for its wildlife?
3. A ban creates the necessary awareness  that KWS correctly states is essential to fight the devastating effects of wildlife poisoning.

We will continue to support the call for a total ban on carbofuran in Kenya and East Africa.  Please help us, support this campaign and join us in the fight against carbofuran poisoning of wildlife. Thank you all for your great support.

Tags: , carbofuran, FMC, furadan, Kenya, lion poisoning, Masai Mara, Wildlife

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Category: Pesticides, carbofuran, lions | Date: May 12 2009 | By: Claudia Hodkinson

MEDIA RELEASE

Contact: Steve Holmer, American Bird Conservancy, 202-234-7181, ext. 216, sholmer@abcbirds.org,www.abcbirds.org

EPA Bans Deadly Pesticide Responsible for Millions of Bird Deaths

(Washington, D.C. – May 11, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its final decision to revoke all food tolerances for the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran, which is sold under the name “Furadan” by FMC Corporation. The agency’s announcement confirms a proposed action first announced in July 2008.  FMC Corp. will have the opportunity to challenge the decision within 90 days with a petition to stay the rule.  When the rule becomes final, EPA will proceed with the cancellation of registration for all uses of the pesticide.

“Carbofuran causes neurological damage in humans, and one of the most deadly pesticides to birds left on the market. It is responsible for the deaths of millions of wild birds since its introduction in 1967, including Bald and Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and migratory songbirds,” said Dr. George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. “This EPA decision marks a huge victory for wildlife and the environment.”

This rule becomes effective December 31, 2009 to allow for commodities in storage to be used.  Most uses of carbofuran on food crops were voluntarily cancelled in March 2009, effective immediately, so that most uses of the pesticide have been cancelled for the 2009 growing season.  Today’s announcement is available at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/30118530d0b774d7852575b30059aa8c?OpenDocument.

In its 2005 ecological risk assessment on carbofuran, EPA stated that all legal uses of the pesticide were likely to kill wild birds. If a flock of mallards were to feed in a carbofuran treated alfalfa field, EPA predicted that 92% of the birds in the flock would quickly die. EPA analysis has also confirmed that carbofuran is a threat to human health through contaminated food, drinking water, and occupational exposure.

Following objections to the proposed ban by FMC Corporation, a government Scientific Advisory Panel reviewed the decision and agreed with EPA in 2008 that the pesticide poses an unreasonable risk to the environment, particularly birds, and that there was no evidence to recommend reversing EPA’s decision to cancel carbofuran.

“Despite overwhelming scientific evidence of carbofuran’s extreme toxicity and the availability of safer alternatives, FMC Corporation continued to do everything it could to keep this chemical on the market,” said Dr. Michael Fry, ABC’s Director of Conservation Advocacy. “We congratulate EPA for standing up for science and the public interest in the face of an industry pressure campaign.”

Carbofuran first came under fire in the 1980s after an EPA Special Review estimated that over a million birds were killed each year by the granular formulation. Many of these die-off incidents followed applications of carbofuran that were made with extraordinary care. The granular formation was cancelled in 1994, but the liquid form has remained on the market.

“The revocation of all food tolerances has international implications, as imports of rice, coffee, bananas and sugarcane were previously allowed to contain residues of carbofuran,” said Dr. Fry.  “After this revocation, countries wishing to export these foods to the US must stop using carbofuran on these four major crops.”

Rice and coffee are particularly important, as many US birds over wintering in Latin America use coffee and rice fields as winter habitats.  American Bird Conservancy and the Natural Resources Defense Council petitioned EPA to cancel all import tolerances for pesticide residues on food, and this decision complies with the ABC/NRDC petition.

Incidents of bird poisonings by carbofuran are documented in the Avian Incident Monitoring System (www.abcbirds.org/aims) operated by American Bird Conservancy in cooperation with the EPA and state and federal wildlife agencies. In addition to killing birds when used legally, carbofuran is often illegally used in poison baits intended to kill wildlife in agricultural areas and grazing lands. This abuse has resulted in the deaths of raptors including Bald and Golden Eagles in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

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American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is the only organization that works solely to conserve native wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC is a not-for-profit membership organization that is consistently awarded a top, four-star rating by the independent group Charity Navigator. ABC’s Pesticides and Birds Campaign aims to reduce the exposure of wild birds to hazardous pesticides. For more information seehttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/pesticides/index.html.

Tags: carbofurans, FMC, FMC Corporation, furadan, lion poisoning, poisoning, wildlife poisoning, Wildlifedirect

3 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 18 2008 | By: Martin Odino

We have just been informed that the carbofuran poisoning story by BBC’s Adam Mynot has just aired on BBC World

It is also all over the BBC website

In his investigative report covering the lion poisonings in Masai Mara on BBC website (BBC Tv and BBC radio)Adam notes that he went to buy Furadan and in one place

“one shop-keeper even described carbofuran as a “lion-killer”.

Isn’t it Amazing that FMC and Juanco still insist that this pesticide is harmless!

Thanks you BBC for giving the story this kind of coverage

If anyone sees the footage please let us know how it is!

We are so pleased to have Martin Odino working with us now to help develop the Action plan Stop Poisoning Wildlife Action

Tags: BBC, Kenya, lion poisoning, Masai Mara, Richard Leakey, Wildlifedirect

8 responses so far