As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday 4 February 2019

Pesticide blamed for mass bird deaths



INVESTIGATION:Taitung agricultural researchers said someone might have illegally used insufficiently diluted carbofuran — some types of which were banned on Jan. 1
By Jonathan Chin  /  Staff writer, with CNA
A powerful pesticide is to blame for the death of an estimated 1,200 birds in Beinan Township (卑南), the Taitung County Animal Disease Control Center said on Wednesday.
The mass bird mortality, which occurred on Jan. 5 and 6, was first reported on Facebook by an organic farmer, who said that others in the area might be poisoning the birds.
The report sparked concern among local and national conservation groups, including the Taitung Wild Bird Society and the Taiwan Association for Falconry Culture and Raptor Conservation.
An examination found that rice in the stomachs of the birds contained high residual levels of carbofuran, one of the most toxic pesticides available on the market, which was ruled to be the cause of death, the center said in a statement.
A subtype of carbamate pesticides, carbofuran is most commonly used to control insects at newly planted rice or vegetable fields, the center said.
Officials did not rule out the possibility of intentional poisoning and the Seventh Special Police Corps was advised to investigate the incident, Taitung Department of Agriculture Director Hsu Jui-kui (許瑞貴) said.

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