Challenges and Perspectives in Proving Harm of Anticoagulants to Marine Predators and Scavengers
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) have been used for eradication of mammals such as rats and mice on islands for more than three decades. Baits containing 25 to 50 parts per million of an AR (usually the second-generation anticoagulant brodifacoum) were aerially applied to 70% or more of the area on...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/4/4/45 |
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| Summary: | Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) have been used for eradication of mammals such as rats and mice on islands for more than three decades. Baits containing 25 to 50 parts per million of an AR (usually the second-generation anticoagulant brodifacoum) were aerially applied to 70% or more of the area on islands. In some areas, baits entered the seas. Many apparent coincidences between the AR bait applications and marine mammal strandings that were observed are summarized and discussed. The coincidences were not well studied and the associations between AR applications and mammal strandings have been understudied or denied. Such associations warrant a need to investigate whether AR applications are directly associated with marine mammal deaths and strandings, for which challenges are discussed. Monitoring marine ecosystems faces many challenges. This review calls for attention to consider and possibly establish a reasonable certainty of no harm for ecosystem restoration efforts. Cases potentially related to ARs are presented to illustrate the concept and the need of establishing such a certainty. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-7159 |