Rodenticides Research Paper

An owl lies motionless on the ground. A necropsy of the dead bird reveals that it had slowly and horrifically internally bled to death after consuming a poisoned rat. Rodenticides are to blame for the owl’s death. Studies show that humans have used many forms of pesticides, one of them being rodenticides, to kill pests (“Rodenticides: Background & Hazards”). The United States, India, Argentina, and the Arctic are places where this problem is most impactful, as there is an increasing amount of pesticide usage in these areas (“Around the World”). These areas produce large amounts of pesticides, which can cause dangerous effects on the environment (“Around the World”). These pesticides should be replaced with natural predators, such as owls. According

Before the 1940s, poisons in the form of metal were extremely popular. However, new substances that cause internal bleeding in pests have replaced those poisons within a decade because of their efficiency, and they are still used today (“Rodenticides: Background & Hazards”). As reported by an article from the Safe Rodent Control Resource Center, “primary poisoning can result from wild birds, pets, or even children eating baited rodenticides, while secondary poisoning of birds and mammals, including dogs and cats, can accompany the ingestion of poisoned rodents” (“Rodenticides: Background & Hazards”). It is stated under the section called “Threats and Conservation” by author Marianne Taylor that in several areas throughout the world, “the use of pesticides impact owls, leaving them with less prey to hunt, while some pesticides persist in the food chain and cause direct poisoning among predator species” (Taylor 79). This shows that pesticides are killing predators by reducing the number of poison-free prey available to consume. In addition, these organisms cannot identify intoxicated prey, and it is more than likely that a poisoned creature will be caught, as it is easier to target an ill rodent than one in good health (“History”). If a poisoned rodent is digested, its toxins are passed down the food chain. Rodenticides and other such chemicals are harming not only the organisms intended to control, but also the predators of those organisms. Alternatives to pesticides are needed to preserve and maintain numerous food