Test Patagonia's raptors for rodenticides

Abstract

Thousands of owls and other predators die each year globally after eating rodents that have been poisoned with anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) (1–3). In Andean Patagonia, where wilderness areas coexist with human settlements (including tourist destinations), ARs are unregulated and routinely used to prevent human contact with rodents (4, 5). This strategy puts raptors in the region at risk and may be the cause of mass mortality events. However, because testing for ARs is difficult, the extent of ARs’ effects on raptors and other wildlife remains unknown. Given their potential for harm, it is crucial to test for ARs, especially when raptor mass mortality events occur, and to enact policies that regulate their use.