Perspectives on wildlife poisoning by carbofuran in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland – with a particular focus on Scotland - Carbofuran and Wildlife Poisoning: Global Perspectives and Forensic Approaches - page 173

Table 6.2 Registration period for products containing carbofuran in the Republic of Ireland

Product Name Manufacturer Approval Date Revocation date

Barclay Carbosect 5G Barclay Chemicals Manufacturing Ltd 02/12/1985 12/12/2007

Carbosip Dart Brothers 02/12/1985 12/12/2007

Hycarbo Hygeia Chemicals Ltd 02/12/1985 12/12/2007

Yaltox Bayer plc 02/12/1985 12/12/2007

Yaltox Combi Bayer plc 02/12/1985 25/07/2003

Yaltox HG Bayer plc 02/12/1985 01/01/2001

Croplink Furan 5G Croplink Ire Ltd 23/03/2001 23/03/2002

Croplink Furan 5G 08/04/2002 08/04/2003

Croplink Furan 5G 19/03/2003 09/03/2004

Croplink Furan 5G 25/02/2004 25/02/2005

Croplink Furan 5G 29/05/2007 12/12/2007

Information obtained from the Pesticide Control Service, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Republic of
Ireland, 2011

6.2 An overview of human-wildlife confl icts in the UK and ROI

The predominant 'human-wildlife confl ict' in this part of the world essentially stems from historic/
current farming and hunting practices. Whilst the practice of hunting game birds, such as common
pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ), is undertaken in many European countries (see Chapter 5), hunting
for red grouse in particular ( Lagopus lagopus scoticus) and managing the land to encourage this
species is rather unique to the United Kingdom. Game bird hunting is a well established tradition
in the UK and brings signifi cant economic benefi t to the communities involved in such 'country
sports'. Driven grouse shooting dates back to the advent of effi cient breech loading guns on sporting
estates in the early Victorian era (from the 1830s to 1900). The practice of 'driving' grouse involves
fl ushing (i.e., 'beating') the birds towards hunters, who stand/hide and wait in enclosures known as
butts. The 'beaters' create a human line (some distance from the hunters) and walk in that line whilst
waving fl ags to fl ush the grouse towards the hunters.
The majority of UK driven grouse shooting is conducted in northern England and Scotland, and
these areas are thus the focus of Section 6.3. As discussed in this section, birds of prey have been his-
torically targeted on sporting estates because of the perception that they pose a signifi cant threat to
game bird species, and therefore could compromise hunting activities/profi t. Unfortunately this view
has often been seen to be at odds with other equally economically important and valid interests such
as ecotourism, birdwatching (i.e., ornithology), and sightseeing, all of which rely on the preserva-
tion and sustainable management of diverse environmental resources. Confl ict tends to occur when
such resources (birds of prey) are seen as a 'pest' or as having the potential to harm the interests of
landowners and the game industry.
Elsewhere, in some UK/ROI farming communities, poisoned bait is unfortunately still being
used to control foxes, crows and birds of prey, primarily during the lambing season, especially in
Wales and various parts of the ROI. The practice of (legal) baiting was only outlawed in the ROI
in 2010. Likewise, despite the 2008 withdrawal of carbofuran in ROI, samples have still tested
positive for residues of several compounds used as poisons, including carbofuran (see http://www
.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?x=8&z=132&f=5&news_id=11&start=0&highlight=sasa). In
several instances, birds which have been donated by other countries (e.g., Norway [sea eagles],