SGARs (Rat Poison) and Barn Owls – Let’s get the information right
The Barn Owl Trust campaigns for better information about the effect of Rodenticides on wildlife.
At least 76% of farms in the UK use Second Generation Anti-coagulant Rodenticides (SGARs). The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme shows that a shocking 91% of Barn Owls analysed in 2010 contained SGARs and in 2011 the proportion of contaminated Red Kites reached an all-time high of 94%.
The vast majority of our Barn Owls, Kestrels, and Red Kites contain rat poison. Our Senior Conservation Officer, David Ramsden MBE, gave a presentation at the recent HSE (Health & Safety Executive) Seminar on the future for Second Generation Anti-coagulant Rodenticides in Britain. As a result of this the Barn Owl Trust was invited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health to submit an article to their newsletter; Pest Control News