PESTICIDE POISONING
This is such a far reaching problem it is difficult to express in words, the seriousness of poisoning on wildlife. Every time we spray pesticides on our lawn or garden we can potentially kill wildlife all the way up the food chain.
When insects are sprayed, it not only kills the insects, but also poisons toads, lizards, any small creature in the lawn. Insect eating birds come along, eat the insects and die. Birds of Prey eat lizards and possibly sick birds, they die. Owls hunt at night and prey upon toads as well as other small creatures. If any have been tainted by pesticides, the owl will fall ill and probably die.
Many wading birds eat lizards and toads so they are also vulnerable to pesticide poisoning. Heavy metal poisoning from fertilizer takes
its toll on wildlife too. Birds and mammals that come in contact with a freshly sprayed or fertilized lawn can become poisoned when it is absorbed through the skin. Heavy metal poisoning from fertilizer affects the central nervous system causing staggering and tremors with symptoms getting worse as time goes on unless an antidote is administered as soon as possible. Atropine is generally given with limited success, depending on the duration and amount of poison. When pesticides are absorbed through the skin the victim simply falls ill and usually dies. Atropine can be given as well as Epsom Salts to attempt to flush the body of the toxins, but also with limited success.
I might add here that if these chemicals are so toxic to other living things, they surely MUST be toxic to humans.
Rodent extermination can also kill birds of prey when the rodents flee outside to die and hawks and owls eat them.
DO NOT USE GLUE TRAPS !!! They catch and kill more song birds than pests. No matter what gets into these traps, they are inhumane !!!!!!!
Another source of wildlife poisoning comes from runoff from lawns into an adjoining body of water, not only killing animals and birds that swim and feed in the water, but fish that are eventually eaten by many species of birds that will of course, get sick and die after eating the dead fish. The scenarios are endless. |
