Medie Release: GREENS JOIN CALLS FOR NB COUNCIL TO BAN CHEMICALS HARMING BIRDS

Greens Councillors Kristyn Glanville and Miranda Korzy have joined calls from leading bird conservation organisation, BirdLife Australia, and the community to ban use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) by Northern Beaches Council.
SGARs are used by Council, and many other organisations and individuals, to control rodents. However, those rodents in turn become poisonous, and can kill off-target species that predate them, particularly carnivorous birds such as Powerful Owls, Tawny Frogmouths, and Wedge tailed eagles. Off-target species, such as native Antechinus, may also inadvertently take baits.
At the Council meeting on 18 October 2022, Cr Glanville proposed a phase out of use of SGARs, and an audit to review the health and environmental impacts of Council's current chemical use of herbicides, pesticides, etc. The item has been deferred to a briefing to Councillors, and will be debated at the council meeting on 22 November 2022.
"Unfortunately, Australia is a laggart when it comes to regulating chemical use to prioritise the long term health of the environment and people, with the Federal regulator slow to phase out or outlaw use of chemicals like SGARs, mancozeb, spinetoram, and other substances being phased out in the European Union and other countries." Said Cr Glanville
"Northern Beaches Council can be a leader in Australia and our local community on putting our precious wildlife and native animals first when managing rodents, and ensure that use of other chemicals follows current scientific evidence" Said Cr Glanville
"In my career as an environmental lawyer prior to being elected to Council, I saw the cost of remediating sites where short sighted use of chemicals in the past has resulted in huge clean up costs. We should do what we can to safeguard the health of future generations and the environment." Said Cr Glanville
At the meeting on 18 October 2022, the Council chamber heard from local wildlife carer, Ms Edwina Laginestra, during the public address. Ms Laginestra remarked:

"I am Edwina Laginestra – a local wildlife carer, and retired-scientist specializing in toxicology.
Rodenticides – both first generation and second generation anti coagulants – are used to kill “pest rodents” but increasingly it is harming our wildlife. In winter, many unwanted creatures come into our homes and other buildings for warmth and food. People see ratbait as an easy and out-of-mind solution but don’t generally think about what is happening. Our wildlife is affected both directly (as I have treated both brushtail possums and blue tongue lizards for ratbait) and indirectly (as predators such as raptors eat the baited rodents which are sick and an easy catch and have residual poison concentrations, and then they become unwell). Many pets are also affected. SGARs have been banned in other countries due to longevity in the environment.
Treating baited wildlife is horrific and most do NOT survive. Rodents take around 3 to 9 days to die, but animals with slower metabolisms take longer. Regarding SGARs it takes 14 days for symptoms to show and 21 days for a possum to die (from NZ research). If we can get it early we have a chance and have to treat the possum for 6-8 weeks (volunteer carers pay for treatment, and the vets only charge us at cost). However, sometimes we do not know what we are dealing with and by the time the symptoms show it is too late. I have treated well over a dozen brushtail possums. I think only 3 or 4 survived – 2 were young and OK with treatment in captivity. One was an adult male who was in care for 3 months – ratbait treatment then physio and cage for regaining muscle strength. The Koagulon he was treated with cost $150. Often we get in a beautiful mum that has been baited and have to try and save the joey that may already be bleeding internally.
I picked up a beautiful barn owl that was sitting in the middle of Seaforth Oval – a dog had attacked it even though the owner was quick to realise what was happening. But the owl was now badly injured. Why could the dog attack it and break a wing and pelvis? Because it was already unwell with eating baited rodents. What an horrific end of life. We have been picking up boobooks and Tawny Frogmouths that were likely baited but it is only recently there has been funding to test for harmful chemicals.
I have also picked up many ringtail possums that have eaten tips of freshly sprayed hedges. They foam at the mouth and spin as they die (which can take more than 8 hours). I spoke to Yates about systemic treatments in some plants for psyllids. They felt the poison may be active within the plant (and leaves) for up to 6 months. So although ringtail possums rarely take SGARs, they are very vulnerable to herbicides. However yesterday I had a ringtail die suddenly – he’d been in care for 5 days, but suddenly he was very thirsty and dizzy. I administered fluids and antibiotics (as he’d had surgery) but he died with blood coming out of his nose, paws and abdomen. If he’d taken bait, he may have been dying for a week before coming into care. We treated him due to necrotic tail thinking hit by car. He may have been hit by a car, he may have been thirsty and hungry due to bait.
Wildlife carers are the volunteers that spend most money on their volunteering. We also already have quite a number of patients in care. Giving drugs and physio adds extra time to care. We also have to spend time taking them to the vet (who also care for wildlife for free) who are also pressed for time Sometimes we simply do not know what we are dealing with and administer treatment too late or incorrectly and we can make symptoms worse. This causes great anxiety as well. If there are actions others can take to avoid wildlife coming into care that would be most helpful – regarding pest management there are many other options in the cities – including the natural pest management our wildlife provides. Watching an animal get worse and die in care is tough emotionally and physically"

The chamber further heard a written statement submitted by Dr Annie Naimo, Urban Bird Program Coordinator for BirdLife Australia. Dr Naimo remarked:

"I’m writing on behalf of BirdLife Australia to support your motion to phase out the use of Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs). BirdLife Australia is an independent non-partisan science-based bird conservation charity with over 300,000 supporters. Our primary objective is to conserve and protect Australia’s native birds and their habitat. We are the national partner of BirdLife International, the world’s largest conservation partnership.
Second-generation anticoagulants pose an extreme threat to native birds and wildlife. SGARs take several days to kill pests, and in this time accumulate in the body of poisoned animals. SGARs persist in the body for a long duration, and in carcasses after death- posing additional risk to wildlife that may prey upon poisoned animals.
In greater Sydney, research undertaken by BirdLife Australia has found fatal levels of SGARs in dead Powerful Owls, a vulnerable species. Further Australian studies have shown similar fatal levels of SGARs in other birds of prey, such as Southern Boobooks and Wedge-tailed Eagles. Other Australian wildlife are also at risk and have had documented instances of SGAR poisoning, including marsupials, native rodents, and reptiles, as well as pet cats and dogs.
Because of the clear evidence and risks, SGARs have been heavily regulated in Europe, Canada, and the USA. Many other local governments areas in NSW are already phasing out SGARs in their community, including Randwick, Wollongong, Tweed Shire, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kiama.
Importantly, there are alternative pest control products available (e.g. first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, non-anticoagulant rodenticides including cholecalciferol) that are similarly as effective as SGARs, but pose significantly less environmental risk when administered correctly.
To support you in your transition away from SGARs, BirdLife Australia has developed an Action Kit for Councils (https://www.actforbirds.org/s/BirdLife-Australia-Council-SGARs-action-toolkit.pdf)
The Action Kit details how SGARs threaten wildlife and pets, provides effective ways that councils can move to alternative pest control methods, and includes links to additional resources to help you to keep your local community safe. "