title: Poisoning of wildlife in South Africa.
abstract: Over a period of 7 years the Toxicology Diagnostic Laboratory at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute investigated 370 suspected incidents of poisoning of wildlife. A diagnosis was made in 166 of the outbreaks. Synthetic organic pesticides were responsible for 82.5% of the poisonings. More than 90% of the poisonings were maliciously intended and monocrotophos was the chemical most often used. The data were derived from authenticated outbreaks of poisoning and indicate the chemicals most often incriminated in acute poisoning of wildlife. Of all wild animals, birds are the most frequent victims of poisoning. Uncommon toxicities such as ionophore, cardiac glycoside poisoning and chronic fluorosis are also described.
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Section, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Basson
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Basson
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Labuschagne
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D001717:Birds; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000662:veterinary; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants