A Chronicling of Long‐Standing Carbofuran Use and its Menace to Wildlife in Kenya

Lalah, Joseph O.; Otieno, Peter O.; Richards, Ngaio; Odino, Martin; Frank, Laurence G.; Cotterill, Alayne; Dolrenry, Stephanie; Hazzah, Leela; Ogada, Darcy; Virani, Munir Z.; Martins, Dino J.

doi:10.1002/9781119998532.ch3

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…The use of synthetic pesticides to procure food is a relatively recent phenomenon in Africa . Likely stemming from the use of traditional poisons to harvest fish, pesticide fishing is now a pervasive practice on the continent, particularly in west and central Africa . However, pesticide fishing is also known from marine fisheries off the Tanzanian coast, in Lake Victoria, and in Malawi .…”

Section: Wildlife Poisoning 1990s To Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, carbofuran is banned in most of the developed world (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and E.U. countries); however, it remains a legally registered pesticide throughout Africa . Banning pesticides is a directive of governments, and in many African countries there is little support for deregistering pesticides solely on the basis of threats to wildlife .…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…countries); however, it remains a legally registered pesticide throughout Africa . Banning pesticides is a directive of governments, and in many African countries there is little support for deregistering pesticides solely on the basis of threats to wildlife . Porous borders and corruption of a buy‐back program (not a ban) to remove carbofuran from the shelves of East African agro‐vet shops was only marginally effective over the short term .…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apart from intentional poisoning, populations of nontargeted wildlife—particularly vultures—have declined dramatically owing primarily to feeding on poisoned carcasses . The blatant and widespread abuse of agricultural pesticides to kill wildlife is illegal, yet as a result of lax attitudes toward enforcement combined with inherent difficulties in preventing pesticide abuse, they have become one of the most widely used means of killing wildlife in Africa …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The power of poison: pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife

Ogada

2014

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

174

151

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Poisons have long been used to kill wildlife throughout the world. An evolution has occurred from the use of plant- and animal-based toxins to synthetic pesticides to kill wildlife, a method that is silent, cheap, easy, and effective. The use of pesticides to poison wildlife began in southern Africa, and predator populations were widely targeted and eliminated. A steep increase has recently been observed in the intensity of wildlife poisonings, with corresponding population declines. However, the majority of poisonings go unreported. Under national laws, it is illegal to hunt wildlife using poisons in 83% of African countries. Pesticide regulations are inadequate, and enforcement of existing legislation is poor. Few countries have forensic field protocols, and most lack storage and testing facilities. Methods used to poison wildlife include baiting carcasses, soaking grains in pesticide solution, mixing pesticides to form salt licks, and tainting waterholes. Carbofuran is the most widely abused pesticide in Africa. Common reasons for poisoning are control of damage-causing animals, harvesting fish and bushmeat, harvesting animals for traditional medicine, poaching for wildlife products, and killing wildlife sentinels (e.g., vultures because their aerial circling alerts authorities to poachers' activities). Populations of scavengers, particularly vultures, have been decimated by poisoning. Recommendations include banning pesticides, improving pesticide regulations and controlling distribution, better enforcement and stiffer penalties for offenders, increasing international support and awareness, and developing regional pesticide centers.

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Section: Wildlife Poisoning 1990s To Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The power of poison: pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife

Ogada

2014

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

174

151

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“…[60] Carbofuran (Furadan), an insecticide and nematicide, is classified as a restricted-use pesticide in temperate zones. [61,62] It is highly toxic to mammals, has been shown to be mutagenic after metabolic activation, [63,64] and is partially soluble in water (K ow D 209). [61] Linear first-order kinetics of NMC hydrolytic decay…”

Section: Phosphatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropical surface water quality studies: Implications for the aquatic fate ofN-methyl carbamate pesticides

Zamini

Monn

et al. 2017

Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B

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Water quality assessment was conducted on the Ruiru River, a tributary of an important tropical river system in Kenya, to determine baseline river conditions for studies on the aquatic fate of N-methyl carbamate (NMC) pesticides. Measurements were taken at the end of the long rainy season in early June 2013. Concentrations of copper (0.21-1.51 ppm), nitrates (2.28-4.89 ppm) and phosphates (0.01-0.50 ppm) were detected at higher values than in uncontaminated waters, and attributed to surface runoff from agricultural activity in the surrounding area. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (8-10 ppm), ammonia (0.02-0.22 ppm) and phenols (0.19-0.83 ppm) were found to lie within normal ranges. The Ruiru River was found to be slightly basic (pH 7.08-7.70) with a temperature of 17.8-21.2 C. The half-life values for hydrolysis of three NMC pesticides (carbofuran, carbaryl and propoxur) used in the area were measured under laboratory conditions, revealing that rates of decay were influenced by the electronic nature of the NMCs. The hydrolysis half-lives at pH 9 and 18 C decreased in the order carbofuran (57.8 h) > propoxur (38.5 h) > carbaryl (19.3 h). In general, a decrease in the electron density of the NMC aromatic ring increases the acidity of the N-bound proton removed in the rate-limiting step of the hydrolysis mechanism. Our results are consistent with this prediction, and the most electron-poor NMC (carbaryl) hydrolyzed fastest, while the most electron-rich NMC (carbofuran) hydrolyzed slowest. Results from this study should provide baseline data for future studies on NMC pesticide chemical fate in the Ruiru River and similar tropical water systems.

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Raptor Conservation in Practice

Watson

2018

Birds of Prey

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A Chronicling of Long‐Standing Carbofuran Use and its Menace to Wildlife in Kenya

Cited by 8 publications

References 71 publications

The power of poison: pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife

The power of poison: pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife

Tropical surface water quality studies: Implications for the aquatic fate ofN-methyl carbamate pesticides

Raptor Conservation in Practice

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