Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 5.4
Carbofuran poisoning incidents detected at the Institute for Pharmacology and
Toxicology in Munich (2010)
Species/sample type
Number of samples received
Domestic cat (
Felis catus
)
8
Domestic dog (
Canis familiarus
)
8
Domestic horse (
Equus caballus
)
4
Bait material
3
'Bird' (
species unidentifi ed
)
2
'Duck' (
species unidentifi ed
)
1
Pheasant (
species unidentifi ed
)
1
'Raptor' (
species unidentifi ed
)
2
Golden eagle (
Aquila chrysaetos
)
1
Saker falcon (
Falco cherrug
)
1
Rabbit (
Oryctolagus cuniculus
)
1
Source: H. Ammer, Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology in Munich, 2011
5.5 Use of specialised canine units to detect poisoned baits
and recover forensic evidence in Andalucía (Southern Spain)
Iñigo Fajardo,
1
Antonio Ruiz,
3
Irene Zorrilla,
2
Antonio Valero,
3
Isabel Fernández,
2
Ernesto Sáez,
3
F.M. Molino,
3
Jesús Olivares
1
Dirección General de Gestión del Medio Natural, Consejería de Medio Ambiente,
Junta de Andalucía
Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico (CAD), Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua
de Andalucía, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía
2
Estrategia de Control de Veneno y otras Amenazas para la Fauna Catalogada,
Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía
3
5.5.1 Introduction
As is typical of many Mediterranean countries, hunting is very popular in Spain, and undertaken
at all levels of Spanish society. Hunting is permitted in almost 80% of the country, and in many
areas there is a confl ict between human and wildlife predators. The use of poison against predators
is illegal in Spain, and it is considered a prosecutable offence, in contravention of national regula-
tions (Ruiz, Ortega, Valero et al. 2010).
Nonetheless,
some hunters or gamekeepers leave poisoned
baits in the wild with the intention of killing foxes, mongoose (
Herpestes ichneumon
), feral cats/
dogs and other generalist carnivores that prey upon wild rabbits (
Oryctolagus cuniculus
) and red
partridge (
Alectoris rufa
). This illegal practice increased in the late 1980s, after outbreaks of viral
diseases elicited pneumonia in (and decimated) the wild rabbit populations in Spain, which further
increased competition/confl ict.
The second basis for poisoning in the country is related to 'protecting' livestock from preda-
tors. As is the case in many European and African countries (see other sections of this chapter and
refer to Chapter 3), poisoning is regarded as a fi rst option to deter carnivores from attacking live-
stock. While agriculture/farming may not contribute signifi cantly to Spain's overall economy, these
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