In answer to your first question, the mitigation measures really depend on what I find during my study, but could include for example: an awareness campaign to make agro-chemical sellers and buyers aware of the far reaching impact of carbofuran and other poisons on wildlife and on human health; promoting traditional methods of livestock protection, such as night ‘bomas’ (enclosures) and guard dogs; compensation schemes for livestock lost to predators. The solution is not just about taking chemicals such as carbofuran off the market (although this would be a fantastic thing), but helping people to find other methods apart from poisoning to live along side large predators.

In answer to your second question, I am currently working on a database to gather together info on all cases of predator and scavanger poisoning in Kenya that have been recorded. I originally planned on concentrating on deliberate poisoning cases, but it now seems like a good idea to record any cases, and whether they were deliberate or not, as it would be very interesting to know the impact on wildlife on from the legitimate use of Furadan and other pesticides.

Jophie