Biologically significant residual persistence of brodifacoum in reptiles following invasive rodent eradication, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
-
Published source details
Rueda D., Campbell K.J., Fisher P., Cunninghame F. & Ponder J.B. (2016) Biologically significant residual persistence of brodifacoum in reptiles following invasive rodent eradication, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Conservation Evidence, 13, 38-38.
Published source details Rueda D., Campbell K.J., Fisher P., Cunninghame F. & Ponder J.B. (2016) Biologically significant residual persistence of brodifacoum in reptiles following invasive rodent eradication, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Conservation Evidence, 13, 38-38.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Remove or control predators using lethal controls: Snakes & lizards Action Link |
 |
-
Remove or control predators using lethal controls: Snakes & lizards
A study in 2012–2014 on an island in the Galápagos, Ecuador (Rueda et al. 2016) found that controlling black rats Rattus rattus using anticoagulant rodenticides lead to widespread secondary exposure to rodenticides in endemic lava lizards Microlophus duncanensis, although no population level impacts were observed. Rodenticide was detected in livers of 270 lizards (brodifacoum concentrations: 10 ppb–2000 ppb in individual livers) and was still being detected up to 850 days after the baiting took place. The authors noted that the secondary exposure of lizards to rodenticides was implicated in the exposure and mortality of 22 Galapagos hawks Buteo galapagoensis. Black rat eradication commenced on Pinzon Island (1,815 ha, tropical forest and savanna) in 2012 using aerial deployment of brodifacoum bait (25 ppm). Lizards were trapped for rodenticide testing. The authors reported that Pinzon giant tortoise Chelonoidis ephippium hatchling survival increased after rat eradication (see original paper for details).
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
