Pesticides thwart condor conservation

Abstract

Despite global conservation crises, widespread and poorly regulated toxic pesticides still cause preventable tragedies. Carbofuran, a carbamate pesticide, is the most implicated globally. In January, the latest and most shocking known poisoning incident in South America took place in Argentina, where a single Carbofuran-baited sheep carcass set out by ranchers to combat mammalian predators killed 34 Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) a threatened, emblematic species of the Andes. This incident raised the number of Andean Condors poisoned in Argentina to at least 66 in the past 13 months. We must take urgent action to prevent future poisoning incidents.