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: Pesticides, carbofuran | Date: Oct 15 2009 | By: paula

I am very sad that the CEO of the Kenyan Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), Mrs Gladys Maina cannot have a serious conversation with us about carbofuran poisoning in Kenya. She appears to be bitterly angry that WildilfeDirect has called for a ban on this product. This does not make a lot of sense to me since her job is not to protect the agrochemical industry but to protect consumers and the environment. My efforts to discuss issues with her on phone have always involved accusations that I am an ‘activist’ and that I have a personal grudge against her. It’s silly I know but even if it were true, that does not relieve Mrs Maina of her duties as the CEO of the PCPB.

According to their website the PCPB aspires to the following

Our Vision
The vision of the PCPB is to be the leading regulatory agency for pest control products in the region.

Our Mision
The mission of PCPB is to provide an efficient and effective regulatory service for importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution, transportation, sale, disposal and safe use of pest control products and mitigate potential harmful effects to the environment.

Kenyans are using furadan and other pesticides in hunting birds and fish for  human consumption. This is not just about the dying birds, fish and other animals, it is a Public Health concern.

KENYANS SHOULD BE OUTRAGED!

Out tax money is paying for the salaries of civil servants like Mrs Maina who has a very specific duty towards Kenyans. She should hav no choice but to do her job or be judged for failing to protect Kenyans from the harmful effects of carbofuran by refusing to respond to reports of unsafe use and harmful effects to the environment.

Mrs Maina insists that I am fabricating reports. This is why I am publishing them here on line for all to view.

I made the slide show Purple Death to illustrate what is happening in Kenyan rice schemes to enable anyone anywhere to share this information and demand that the PCPB respond.

I am also attaching a report written by Martin Odino on July 18th sent by registered mail to Gladys Maina of the (PCPB) in accordance to her verbal instructions (she told me that our previous reports were not in the correct format preventing her from acting).

Though no written acknowledgment was received, Mrs Maina did confirm to me on phone that that did receive the reports but that she will not investigate this or any other incident reported - citing her concern that WildlifeDirect and friends are mere “activists”, that our reports contain no “technical facts”. She also said that the PCPB will not make site visits, nor will they be testing samples collected by us from the field as she suspects that we have tampered with the samples. In other words they will pretend that this and all other reports were in fact, never made.

This report was copied to Linda Froelich of FMC as per our agreed procedures captured in minutes of a meeting between the Stop Wildlife Poisoning Task Force held at the WildlifeDirect Nairobi offices on April 15th 2009. We have received no response from FMC.

This disappointing situation reveals just how deep the psychology of denial is in the PCPB and FMC.

We will continue to post carbofuran (and other pesticide) poisoning incident reports here for the record

INCIDENT REPORT OF POISONING OF BIRDS IN BUNYALA (JUNE 2009)

Please find below a report of witnessed bird poisoning from Bunyala, Busia in June 2009. I wish to bring to your attention that between June and July (2009) I have been Ahero Rice Scheme and Mwea Rice Schemes where witnesses say there is ongoing poisoning of birds using Furadan. In Mwea and Ahero, the species of birds poisoned are the White-faced Whistling Ducks and Fulvous Whistling Ducks in addition to doves in Ahero. In all the sites the birds were intentionally poisoned for human consumption.

Please also find attached photos taken during June 2009 survey of the poachers with the poisoned birds in sacks and about them; also a photo of a torn off Furadan label by the poachers to conceal the identity of the Furadan poison they are using.

We also had some dove samples whose contents (gut-crop, gizzard and intestinal- contents) tested for carbofuran poisoning as well as the sampple of the bait that was used to poison them tested for carbofuran and I have also attached the certificate of analysis.

BUNYALA POISONING

Incident: Poisoning of Cattle Egrets (8 birds)
Date incident occurred: 04/06/2009
Threat: 3 species of Egrets(Cattle Egrets, Yellow-billed Egrets and Little Egrets), Hadada Ibis, Sacred ibis, Sandpipers and humans that handle the furadan and those that feed on the poisoned birds.
Method:termites and small fish laced in Furadan

Incident: Poisoning of African Open-billed storks (22 birds)
Date incident occurred: 06/06/2009
Threat: Humans that use Furadan for poisoning and those that consume the birds.
Method: Snails (Species Pila ovata) laced in Furadan

Incident: Poisoning of Cattle Egrets (4 birds)
Date incident occurred: 06/06/2009
Threat: Other Egrets (Yellow-billed Egrets and Little Egrets), Sacred Ibises and Hadada Ibises. Humans that use Furadan for poisoning and those that consume the birds.
Method: termites and small fish laced in Furadan.

Tags: carbofuran, FMC, furadan, Kenya, Paula Kahumbu, PCPB, pesticide poisoning, Wildlife

One response so far

Category: carbofuran | Date: Aug 11 2009 | By: Martin Odino

An officer in his office at PCPB is discussing with his accomplice from JUANCO of their next useful yet again lucrative agrochemical deal. In parliament, politicians are struggling to have patronage over the solving of the cases by the perpetrators of Kenya’s post-election violence.A continent away, a scientist is working away on a computer at FMC. In all these cases, these giants are aware of the sizzling hot Furadan poisoning issue but is a trivial matter to them, or is it a necessary outcome that does not surpass the giants’ benefits from the continued existence of the pesticide in our midst?

In this conservation venture, I meant to collect baseline information and alert conservation and government stakeholders, also train educate and raise awareness on the Furadan poisoning issue. But all these targets are designed to function as a unit. It is therefore a drawback when the enforcer who is the government and its appointed agency, the PCPB, seem dormant and insensitive on the matter.

The Furadan bird poisoning until now seems to effect a mortality of 30% - 40% of the whole bird population exposed to the poisonings. It means 3 to 4 birds die in every 10 that wander into the poacher’s baiting set up. The threat is even higher for tightly social colonies such as the migrant sandpipers and Abdim’s Storks with up to whole colony deaths or 100% mortality.

When FMC announced and began the buy back of its supplied Furadan stocks from Kenya, Mocap quickly replaced it and is at the moment fairly extensively used. No negative effects of the pungent Mocap nor its underperformance have been revealed hitherto which is what was feared of the pesticide. But it was disturbing to find the pesticide still in Kajiado (Kiserian) months later, yet lion deaths due to poisoning by Furadan are known of this pastoralist region. Then Eldoret a few weeks back shocked us with the explicit display of the poisonous pesticide in some agrovet store shelves and now poachers in Bunyala are declaring it on the rise again. I have still not gotten the confirmation but the claim that, “The supplier is still supplying us with Furadan….” by some store keepers in Eldoret Town is a depressing statement. I am forced to think aloud if the statement means, ‘JUANCO are still supplying Furadan’ and where is it from????!!!!…FMC???’ an abomination!

Fellowshipping with bird poachers and trying to enlighten them, counting bird carcasses and turning in poisoning updates has been the procedure during every month’s survey. More has been the testing of the poisoned birds as evidence of bird poisoning using Furadan. While this evidence was stressed on as crucial if any regulation measure had to be effected for Furadan, the agencies whose delegates vehemently insisted on the lab evidence have since been quiet. Does it mean the evidence is not enough as has always been the defence? I am willing to get more samples if they will chip in towards the testing costs. Or is the matter already decided on that Furadan is here to stay?

Technically, this survey is testing methodologiy to be employed elsewhere and is expected that the model survey can be used anywhere. A near success of the methods seems to have hit a snag!

While bird poisonings in Bunyala had drastically declined last month, this is gradually being reversed and is on a steadily elevated trend calling for a change in strategy; may be fill papers with poisoning images. I hope an environmental lawyer out there hears me out!

Keep reading.

Technorati : Bunyala, FMC, Furadan, JUANCO, Mocap, PCPB, Poacher, Poison

Tags: Bunyala, FMC, furadan, JUANCO, Mocap, PCPB, Poacher, poison

No responses yet

Category: carbofuran | Date: Jul 26 2009 | By: Martin Odino

The big question as concerns Furadan poisoning in Kenya is if the pesticide’s availability is legal or illegal. This leaves the situation as concerns practical legal measures to check poisoning of wildlife especially using Furadan uncertain. At the moment, my understanding and many involved conservationists is that the pesticide has been withdrawn from Kenya since early in the second quarter of this year by the known, original manufacture, the FMC . Yet again the business men cum agrovet-keepers ALL seem to have the understanding that Furadan is BANNED. They make reference on the banned status of Furadan to the persons who have been going round retrieving what was left of their Furadan 5G stocks. We know for sure that Juanco, once the local distributors of Furadan have been the ones buying back Furadan and therefore must be the ones giving the explanation that they are retrieving the pesticide because it has been misused to poison wildlife in particular lions. PCPB and AAK have not issued any statement as concerns Furadan, while the Kenyan government discussed the banning of the pesticide in parliament and left the matter on the decision to ban Furadan and other carbofuran’s pending and have since been silent about the issue.

I have continued to observe bird poisoning in Bunyala and though the chemical has not been available on agrovet shelves since December, 2008, birds continue being poisoned in Bunyala Rice irrigation Scheme using the poison. While the means of aquiring the poison have changed and is now a top secret affair, the evidence of the poison’s availability is strongly clear with birds continuing to be poisoned and the product once in the hands of bird poachers, not all of them are astutely careful, leaving about the mess during manouvres to screen the identity of the pesticide uncleared; I mean the containers and labels of Furadan poisoning are never well disposed and litter the fields where they bait birds. Worse is the fact that even though FMC-manufactured stocks of Furadan are being called back, which have a designated label pattern of the text overwritten on diagonal inclined “juanco”repeated sequence throughout the label, some of these labels do not have the identity print suggestive of counterfeit or other manufacture product in wide circulation.

Pieces of evidence not well disposed by bird baiting poachers; no authentication of JUANCO distribution by the repetitive ‘juanco ‘on label and therefore possibly a black market product.

A classic example of the unchanged situation of Furadan in Kenya which has shunned conservationists’ hopes that the supply of the poison will trickle to none in the market hence at least control poisoning of wildlife is the availability of the pesticide in Eldoret, openly displayed in a number of agrovets, just this month. It had been broadly observed that the pesticide was slowly becoming hard to come by (since the buy back was declared) in agrovet stores and in the stores where it was available it was hidden and apparently sold to ’specilal’ customers after authentication that the customer is not a law enforcer. That Furadan is openly available in Eldoret Town and the shopkeepers admiting they know it is ‘banned’ and yet continue displaying and selling it is a disturbing issue.

These are my inferences: If agrovets are still selling the pesticide, it is not against the law if the pesticide is from JUANCO. This is because PCPB acknowledges supplies of Furadan from FMC and JUANCO was the acknowledged local distributor until when FMC voluntarily decided to withdraw and buy back Furadan in which case we hope they have stopped supplying and distributing it respectively. With PCPB’s and the government’s stands unchanged, then the agrovets still with the pesticide are not on the wrong, with supply and distribution regulations unchanged by PCPB. In addition, Kenya’s pesticides’ law infers that a pesticide cannot be banned due to misuse. Sadly, this makes me wonder if the agrovets’ persons tales that ‘Furadan is banned’ was not a story ‘told to be told’ to investigators. In addition, it means Furadan’s ban hitherto is unwarranted by the poisoning of carnivores, birds and possibly people!However, sell of counterfeit pesticide products is illegal and offenders are subject to discipline by law. But the problem is that the non-FMC Furadan may be from licenced suppliers by the regulatory agencies who keep so many matters as classified.

Furadan may just be still legal, much as the withdrawal and buy back by FMC of the poison seemed to push its status to a pseudo-illegal product, I should say. Well, FMC’s and non-FMC Furadans still linger our land and there is no knowing of their fate by our legislators and regulators which still leaves our wildlife perilously vulnerable to deadly , devastating poisoning by this deadly poisonous substance.

A poacher holding poisoned birds by Furadan baiting for human consumption: A scene reflecting a situation in dire need of solving.

Tags: AAK, Birds, Bunyala, FMC, furadan, JUANCO, Kenya, lions, PCPB, poison, Wildlife

One response so far

Category: carbofuran | Date: Jul 14 2009 | By: Martin Odino

Dear readers, no doubt it is hard to be certain that Furadan is responsible for the poisoning of wildlife in a poisoning incidence unless you carry out lab tests on the wildlife samples which is possible to get 100% precision as far as Furadan 5G carbofuran testing is concerned in just one local lab.

But even in the other laboratories using a less sensitive and older methodology (TLC; new methodology is HPLC), the argument is that Furadan 5G is the only carbofuran known to be locally available (Now greatly dwindled reserves in isolated places due to FMC’s buy back program but with contraband supply known to exist). This means that with heavy dosage of the pesticide on an animal and submission of the sample, may be as soon as within a week following proper freezing conditions still guarantees valid positive results if the poisoning was due to Furadan poisoning. Furadan would be the inferred carbofuran given no other locally available carbofuran. During a workshop last year, Juanco and PCPB insinuated that other carbofurans exist but neither specified which ones exactly. It appears there is none other than Furadan 5G.

In the field, I have observed a number of things on the birds that I am certain occur on Furadan-poisoned cases:

Even before the birds dies, the bird’s limbs are stiff at the joints (this is already known of carbofuran poisoning). However, before the stiffening, the wings become relaxed and loose hanging I bet rendering the bird incapabality to flap hence fly.

A pigeon, just poisoned, you see the hanging wings

Hanging wings in another casualty

He tried flying off but the stiff wing would not allow

At death, however, the joint-stiff stretched out wings progressively get folded in to almost normal position at death. Meanwhile the rigid but foldable legs also get stiffened. In hardly an hour after death, the legs and wings are totally stiff; wings folded stiff while legs are stretched out stiff.

Stiffened folded in wiings and stretched out stiff legs after death

More doves; Stiff stretched out legs and folded in wings showing in a number of these

About the time when the bird’s limbs are very stiff, the eyes also seem sunken in or colapsed into the sockets. Just my experience with dying, poisoned birds

Tags: furadan, JUANCO, PCPB, poison

2 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: May 29 2009 | By: paula

According to authorities in the Masai Mara one person has been arrested in connection with the poisoning of a lion, hyenas and many vultures last week.

However, there is growing evidence that Furadan is viewed primarily for pest control in parts of Kenya. I just got this in from a tour operator

” A Maasai friend of mine who is cultivating just outside Narok told me he and his group keep seeing their shambas raided by baboons and some of the group wanted to get rid of the baboons using Furadan. Seems to be the method of choice for Maasai to deal with human / wildlife conflict. I urged him to dissuade his group from doing this”.

We will try to get more specifics on this incident. Meanwhile The Oregon Department of Agriculture has fined five Malheur County onion growers for misusing pesticides not labeled for use on their crops. The civil fines, totaling $180,000, are connected with the application of Furadan and Basagran on 18 fields during the 2008 growing season. Neither Furadan nor Basagran are approved for onions in Oregon. Investigators had found 18 fields with residues of products not labeled for use on onions.

In Kenya there is no regular investigations into proper pesticide use, and we have not found a single case where anyone has ever been found guilty of mis-use, let alone penalised for it.

On Monday a man was shot dead by KWS for killing a black rhino for it’s horn in Laikipia.

It  will be interesting to see if KWS or the PCPB will pursuse a case against the criminals involved in the poisoning of lion, hyenas, vultures and baboons in the Mara.

Tags: black rhino, carbofuran, furadan, KWS, Laikipia, Masai Mara, PCPB, rhino, wildlife poisoning, Wildlifedirect

No responses yet

Category: carbofuran | Date: May 21 2009 | By: Martin Odino

Hi friends. I have a couple of things that seem to be looking up which I would like to put across to you. Indeed you are the pro-anti-wildlife poisoning community with whom we share with every little success we attain. Thank you so much for your support and please keep supporting us.

First, We [Dr. Richard Leakey (Chairman, Wildlife Direct), Dr. Paula Kahumbu(CEO,Wildlife Direct and myself))] have been trying to have the poisoned bird samples tested for Furadan, now two weeks since I got them from the field. After going through what I would describe as seemingly protracted delay in the testing of the samples, finally we have word that the analysis will be done. I however still dread the rates which during my last visit at the institute I was informed that ‘new, international rates were to be adopted starting any second in time’. I however believe that we will pull through this.

We are also aware that our Kenyan parliament will be discussing ‘Why Furadan should not be banned in Kenya ‘, today. Our fingers are crossed.

Third, it appears the buy back by FMC, through the local supplier, JUANCO is doing well, but my fear is how effective the buy back process is. I have a hunch that the we could be deceived by a pseudo success with the buy back of Furadan. This especially follows the findings, from a visit to an area, 2 days ago, where I have done two surveys in the past. This is in Kajiado District, Kenya where in the surrounding rural neighbourhood, Furadan has been used to poison carnivores: lions and hyenas as per the surveys’ findings, to resolve human-wildlife (carnivore) conflict.
After going around virtually all the agrovet shops in the small market centre, of all the agrovet shops that were open, I only found Mocap (the replacement of Furadan)in one. The others did not have Mocap. Then I wondered, how come they all said Mocap had replaced Furadan and significantly, no agrovet seemed to be stocking it? In addition, all the peopple I asked about Furadan and Mocap were so suspicious and a number needed my phone contact!?

Mocap in 1 agrovet shop out of about 15 agrovets.

I was yet to get more overwhelmed in wonder until when I got mocked at with a pack of the killer pesticide in the last agrovet that I paid a visit. In the earlier surveys, I had met a male sales person at the counter of this agrovet. This time it was a lady. So I informed the lady that I had come looking for a certain young man whom I had interacted with sometime back and that I was doing a survey on Mocap and Furadan. I described the man precisely, hoping the fortune from furadan sale had not changed his physical appearance.As the lady regarded me with suspicion, the gentleman matched in. Strange, she informed him that I had just been asking for him. Thanks to the matching of my description. A few exchange of Masai words that left me enshrouded in ignorance but at last I was welcome.

The gentleman was suspicious but when I truthfully told him that I had come to seek some information about Furadan, his Moran ego, being Masai, overtook him and as he mockingly rebuked me and my associates for succeeding in ‘banning’ furadan, he danced and went behind the sales lady where there was another shelf facing the other way round, fished out something, blew off some dust from it with his strong exhalation, picked up a rag and wiped the white container with a pink cap, then marched back to the counter and with a resounding thud, dropped it under my nose in my full view!a 200gram Furadan 5G pack! I shook it to confirm it had the granules. Yes it had contents! God! What if there were hundreds of this where he had got this one from?

I thought quickly, realizing I had to be cautious here. I pushed away the thought of what could be fished out next. A club?…or a spear?afterall I noticed I was foe at this point. Tactfully, I sought to know his opinion in pesticidal effectiveness of Mocap versus Furadan, giving him a lead that Furadan might afterall be the way better pesticide.

And so my friend let loose of all that lay covered at heart with my lead: He revealed that loads of the pesticide are stashed by some farmers and some retailers (some poachers too I bet); he did not trust the buy back and said most likely Furadan would just be given a different trade name and be re-introduced to the market, may be with a slight colour modification and would be sold more expensively to recover for the years that it is will have been lying underground. He went ahead to give me an example of a domestic fly insecticide once called SNIP that was banned then 3 years later reintroduced as AGITA, with slight colour modification and infact the package was maintained but for the trade name and now costs 300% higher (Does it mean 100% for every year in ‘banned’ state?). For some reason, he said contraband Furadan is infiltrating into Kenya from Tanzania. To the best of my Knowledge, Furadan supply is supposed to be withdrawn and is being bought back by FMC from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The salesman could not resist smiling as he reminded me that the ’sweetness of profits’ in this agrovet business is realized in dealing with contraband products and that Furadan could bring big-time returns!

I cunningly divulged from the Furadan discussion and slowly cooled down the heat that ensued from what the agrovet man had revealed as I sought a way to disengage from the dialogue and leave. I had samples to be analysed that I had to go follow up with. And so I contemplated in my mind about the whole experience. I cannot stop thiking the other agrovets still had Furadan stock somewhere. What if JUANCO were buying what was just on the shelves?Do they really have authority to check back stage supply storages of these agrovets? may be this is where PCPB and AAK can flex their muscles undefeatably, but sad that they are not just willing to do it yet. They are still in denial that Furadan is indeed more of a poison than a pesticide.

I am due to get back to the field in just about 1 week. Remember my operation A MONTH OUT WITH BIRDS GETTING POISONED and kindly support me. I believe there was no better timing for this operation especially with seeming attention captured from the agro-retail, governmental and the general public. Let’s see how bird poisoning goes this month which should indeed reflect on the effectiveness of the Furadan withdrawal process and reveal if the rice schemes are to be targeted for urgent buy back.

Will keep updating you. keep reading.

Tags: AAK, FMC, furadan, JUANCO, Mocap, Paula Kahumbu, PCPB, poison, Richard Leakey, Wildlife Direct

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Category: carbofuran | Date: May 09 2009 | By: Martin Odino

Just yesterday, I submitted samples brought back from the field for furadan testing at the recommended lab-KEPHIS- by our local Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), Crop Life Kenya. (Agrochemical Association of Kenya hence AAK) and FMC. It was disturbing listening to the expert who received them wondering loudly why I had not taken them to Government Chemist, the laboratory whose methodology was doubted by the above concerned bodies.

Frankly I could not help but wonder if this was not part of frustrating our efforts to provide evidence of furadan poisoning by the above titan bodies as far as the poison furadan is concerned. Surely, the effects of this pesticide have reached emergency levels and these guys should give proper directives for common good.

Are we just wasting time and money only to be later told that KEPHIS again is not a qualified lab? the expert at KEPHIS acknowledged that they were equiped with equipment to use HPLC, a methodology whose results are precise, as told by the FMC person at our meeting. he however said they did not have a proper pathology lab to handle animal tissues and only Government Chemist had this facility and were ‘fit’ to handle the guts of the poisoned birds. Well, I will be getting the final word from KEPHIS this week and I will ensure the samples get tested.

Getting these samples from the field has been one of the toughest challenges I have faced in this survey:

The geographical location of Bunyala in Kenya is in proximity of Lake Victoria about 10 kilometres away from the nearest lakeside port, Sio Port. Also, the equator is located not so far from here. Given these geographical conditions, humidity and temperature are almost at uncomfortable, high levels, not so favourable if dead bird samples are to be kept fresh.

Bunyala is also remote. Electricity is found in a few ldistant ocalities, while others, including where we camp still remain in the almost total natural darkness but for a few tin lamps that attempt to reduce the depth of darkness. A necessary commodity, ICE which requires electricity for it to be made and that should help preserve the tissue samples from dead birds remain fresh is therefore unavailable in the nearest shopping center.

Well, I had to beat this challenge of high temperatures exceeding 30 degrees celcius on the average. The previous day, I had someone take the cool box and ice substitute to have them readied at the next nearest shopping center where I paid a soda vendor about USD 5 to prepare some ice for me and have the ice substitute frozen . I would get the cool box and ice once we had the samples.

We got to the field as early as always but there was no sign of poisoning. My assistants however located a poacher laying out bait in the farthest western end of the rice scheme. We sped to get on our usual job of identifying and counting the living and dead birds. In one and a quarter hours, the poacher was done. Since the poisoned birds were his property, I could not lay a hand on the poisoned at will. I therefore purchased 9 birds for USD 1.25. He had poisoned 64 doves and pigeons, in total.

Brutality in life and in death! The above birds were tied by their necks to make it easy for us to carry them. That is my assistant carrying them. I would have wanted to carry them in the comfortable ringer’s grip, but I bet my two hands would not have managed to carry all of them.

We sped back to camp for a quick evisceration process, since the gut contents were my interest. I took notes on the dead birds and we got down to opening them up.Thanks to my efficient assistants who did the job quickly. Meanwhile, I had hired somebody to get the cool box and ice and he arrived just in time for us to start opening up the first bird. By 1300 hrs, we were finished and my samples ready for transportation.

A sample of the poison concortion showing dull purple furadan granules (the solute that remains after trying to dissolve furadan) and rice in husks in a bottle; dissecting kit and the cool box with the samples.

It took four hours to get to the bus station where I would get a bus to travel back to Nairobi where I would get proper freezing facilities and also the samples would be analysed. The night was cool and therefore the ice survived through the 10 hour journey.

2 days since, the samples are now in the the testing lab. Soon enough, we will have the results.

The frozen samples just before I submitted them to the testing lab.

Will keep updating you. Please keep reading.

Tags: AAK, Bunyala, FMC, furadan, Government Chemist, Kenya, KEPHIS, PCPB, Poacher, poisoning

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Category: carbofuran | Date: May 05 2009 | By: Martin Odino

I wish to start by specially thanking Brenton whose donations have facilitated the rather technical part of this survey (sample collection) and ensured that I was able to succesfully bring back samples from a place that I can describe as one of the most remote in Kenya-Bunyala. I extend my sincere gratitude to Wanda, Sarah, Lori, Kristen, Kate, Dennis, Julie, Bibi and Keith. You have seen me and Wildlifedirect this far as far as dealing with the menace of furadan is concerned!

Thank you for providing me with a means to hold on to!

This April-May phase of the field survey has been one of the most challenging, hitherto. I however feel we are getting somewhere and with some samples (guts of poisoned birds) I brought from the field queued up for laboratory analysis, we hope the results come out in our favour to confront our friends involved in pesticide regulation, the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB)and the Agrochemicals Assosiation of Kenya (AAK). We surely need a very effective regulation of this pesticide if we have to continue risking its infiltration into Kenya from non-FMC manufacturer sources.

Samples in specimen bottles in the cool box.

In this post, felt that I should share landmark events and observations I made in the just completed field survey in Bunyala.

1. It is the turn of doves to get poisoned: I realized that poisoning is a chain reaction advancing from one species  to another and that all that matters to the poachers is which bird is available. This is dictated by among other factors, rainfall and developmental stage in which the rice is at. While stork mortalities resulting from furadan poisoning were pronounced since the survey began, this time doves dominated the scene. The doves were flocking in many hundreds to forage on the leftover grain in the harvested fields, but sadly many of them met their untimely deaths at the dining place. It was disturbing that when you walked past a resting flock, on many occssions at least one came crashing with a thud on the ground.

Doves after they have had their fill on the grains, but not without losing a few of their own from furadan poisoning.

2. A time to recruit another decoy: I met one of the poachers again whose captive storks I had documented about and photographed during the March-April survey. I then wrote about the decoys’ tribulations in the misery of the captives. This time again I got to see the storks and it was a hurting experience. They were about half their size a month ago, and one looked resigned to hopelessness.

Longer serving decoys. I waited to the stork that has its back to me me to brighten up a little for me to take a photo but all in vain. He did not. he seemed to be sending a message to me that to him life had no meaning!

 With them, was another stork; a decoy recruit in the making.The wings were intertwined at the back so that he does not make off for his freedom. The poor bird could not help being aggressive, lunging for my camera whenever I seemed too close for his liking.

 What I could not understand is how long would the captive stay before it would become handy to lure others? Would it not die before it performs its role?then is this not just torturing the bird for no reason?This is because it appears that the storks will not be about for a while since the flooding of the paddy fields is not about until sometime in June. Earlier on, I was told the lifetime of a captive stork is about 3-4 weeks utmost. I believe this because the captive had been captured just about a month since I knew the operational pair used by the poacher. This means that by the time the floodwaters are here, the new recruit will have perished in torment of trauma and idleness!

3. Evidence: Since this survey began in February, I had never come across a container with furadan bearing the label. This time round, I captured one on photo.

I also got a little deeper into the poachers bag! or is it gear. Yesterday, as I was obtaining samples to bring back to be analysed, I examined the plastic container that had carried the poison-laced baits. I was struck by purple granules in the vessel. When the poacher wanted to empty it, I requested him to pour them in aplastic container so I can take a closer look. He had warned me that the granules, which were actually furadan granules, were still potent. The granules were dull purple, since furadan is insoluble, hence these were the remaining insolubles. I then carefuly folded the polythene bag and had gotten my sample for what had been used to prepare the solution and laced the rice that was then used to kill the birds.

Bird poachers’ killing concortion.

4. Battering for big birds and killing for small birds: In comparison to the most recent survey, I noted that large birds, especially storks were clobbered after ingesting furadan-laced snails. It does appear the major cause of their death is the fatal blows by the poachers when the birds get disoriented.

Smaller birds, doves in this case seemed to succumb to the pesticide. This does not mean that these are not clobbered at all. There were some members who were also dealt fatal blows for attempting to escape, but this is not at all comparable to the case of the storks. The poachers therefore walk about the poisoning field leisurely to pick up the dead doves after sometime since laying out the bait unlike for storks which they batter to incapacitate even if the bird is weak and disoriented.

Walking around the poisoning area to pick up doves.

Kindly keep supporting my efforts and end the gloom of this blog!

I am still on the lookout and will keep you posted.

Tags: AAK, Bunyala, furadan, PCPB, Poacher, poisoning, Wildlifedirect

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Category: carbofuran | Date: Apr 30 2009 | By: Martin Odino

Hi readers. While it may be interesting to watch a flock of doves perform their twisty manouvres in the skies, it is disturbing when out of the breath-taking feat, a couple of objects that seem to have been part of the flock, all of a sudden come tumbling to the ground! These were actually furadan-poisoned doves. Four came dropping down succesively within our scope of vision. Then the doves fly down not so far from us, so we rush to see what is happening.

They seem to be foraging but all of a sudden get startled and the flock takes to the air again. If you are like me, carrying a camera and just having witnessed 23 storks put down by poachers using furadan you might not have wished less but capture a number of fantastic photos of these beautiful creatures. So I am left depressed that the doves or pigeons were too quick to depart.

The reality then dawns on me when I see one pigeon on the ground struggling to be on its feet, or is it wings. The pigeon’s collapse and convulsions is what had prompted the rest of the flock to take off afterall!Hit by reality I edge closer to the poor, dying bird. Worse are the horrors when later, my efforts to rescuscitate the bird fail! Here I recount these ill-fated events that happened yesterday.

The flock of pigeons and a pair of doves that had just flown down moments after we witnessed 4 pigeons drop off the skies!

A close up of the same doves. Interesting that the African Mourning Dove pair are comfortable in this flock of speckled pigeons.

The photo that disappointed me. The pigeons and the dove pair had just flown off prematurely!Little did I know that I had actually captured the startling event. Check the remaining disoriented pigeon left on the ground at the bottom left of the photo.

The disoriented intoxicated Speckled Pigeon.

Same pigeon, front view.

We lost him!Here I am preparing to open him up back at camp, justt for curiosity how much of the rice with furadan he had consumed and how it looked like.Later when I am winding up with this phase of this survey, I will get samples of poisoned birds digestive tracts for lab analysis.

We encountered these while bearing the carcass of the pigeon back to camp . Not a mismatch this time. Survivors, I would call them. The bird on the left is a Ruff. Quite showy in appearance compared to the one I was identifying in the post what I am doing in bunyala. The pinkish legs and it actually had a rufous tinge on the nape suggests it is attaining breeding plumage and should be one of the late departures back to Europe for breeding now that spring has set in.

The duck to the right is the White-faced Tree Duck, otherwise the White-faced Whistling Duck. In years gone, these would congregate in 20’s or more in numbers. The largest flock I have seen are 6 individuals! These were poisoned in large numbers by poachers using furadan and it is alleged they turned t the Storks after they realized their poaching of the ducks was as fruitful as expected because the ducks had almost become obsolete in the area.This subject had a mate and therefore not at all mismateched to the Ruff.

Today is my sixth day in Bunyala. Yesterday 23 African Open-billed Storks were killed which in my observation marks the demise of a whole flock. In the earlier 4 days,a total of 30 storks had been killed through furadan baiting. Over time, I have noticed that the storks seem to flock rather intimately. When I started this phase of the survey last friday on 24/04/2009, the flock that had been consistent in the poisoning field had 56 individuals. If any, only 3 members of this flock remain and may join other flocks if they too are not already poisoned. Today we were out in the field early about 0600hrs and by 1400hrs when we took a break for lunch we had not spotted any flock of storks! The poachers say that a new flock is easy to poison because they are ignorant of the poisoning. If another flock comes in, we expect another nasty poisoning scenario and that may not be so long from now.

It is high time Pesticide Control Products Board (PCPB) and Agrochemicals Association of Kenya (AAK or CropLife ,Kenya) hurried to see to it that this pesticide is ridded of and JUANCO hastened the buy back for FMC.

Surely Bunyala is running dangerously low of its once very rich bird biodiversity!

Please keep reading and supporting.

Tags: AAK, Bunyala, FMC, furadan, PCPB, Poacher, poisoning

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