Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.3 Measuring the conservation threat that deliberate poisoning
poses to birds in Kenya: The case of pesticide hunting with Furadan
in the Bunyala Rice Irrigation Scheme
Martin Odino
Ornithology Section,
Department of Zoology,
National Museums of Kenya,
P.O. Box 40658-00100,
Nairobi, Kenya
3.3.1 Introduction
Poisoning is a latent and ruthlessly effective method of killing wildlife. In Kenya, pesticides are
easily available and seen as effi cient poisons to capture food for human consumption, in this case,
birds. This is the phenomenon of 'pesticide hunting' practiced in my country. Our avian biodiversity
is particularly vulnerable to such poisoning. Birds here are poisoned directly (for procurement of
food and to eliminate species viewed as 'pests'), indirectly (through incidental and accidental poi-
soning), and secondarily (after consumption of other poisoned animals).
Kenya has the second highest avian diversity in Africa and the eleventh worldwide, boast-
ing over 1 100 bird species, which is rather remarkable (Nature Kenya 2009; Mongabey 2010).
Such diversity adds richness and value to the wildlife industry, which is Kenya's giant source
of foreign income. Wetlands, whether natural or man-made, represent vitally important habitat
to wildlife, particularly birds. A number of man-made wetlands in Kenya have been recog-
nised as Important Bird Areas (IBAs). For example, the Dandora Oxygenation ponds in Nairobi
(designated as KE IBA 35) are internationally recognised for their value to birds (Bennun and
Njoroge 1999).
From a bird's perspective, irrigated fi elds such as those in the Bunyala Rice Irrigation Scheme
are essentially man-made wetlands in which they may congregate to forage. Reports made in
the early 1990s by Kenyan conservationists, particularly ornithologists, warned that wetland
birds congregating in irrigation schemes were being hunted in large numbers, with pesticides (O.
Nasirwa, personal communication). This is also in accordance with the author's own personal
observations.
The study described here was initiated to investigate the extent of the deliberate poisoning of
birds with pesticides in the Bunyala Rice Scheme, to quantify bird deaths, assess the implications
of this practice to conservation, and highlight potential repercussions of consuming pesticide-
poisoned birds to human health.
The specifi c objectives of the study were to:
1. Assess avian mortality as a result of deliberate pesticide baiting in the Bunyala Rice Scheme
(during the study period).
2. Provide evidence to authenticate avian poisoning using pesticides at the study site.
3. Educate local communities on the dangers of pesticides (e.g., toxicity and misuse).
4. Inform government and NGO stakeholders on the outcomes of the study.
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