title: Intoxication of nontarget wildlife with rodenticides in northwestern Kansas.
abstract: The perception of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) both as a nuisance species and a keystone species presents a significant challenge to land, livestock, and wildlife managers. Anticoagulant and nonanticoagulant rodenticides are commonly employed to control prairie dog populations throughout their range. Chlorophacinone, and to a lesser extent zinc phosphide, are widely used in northwestern Kansas for controlling black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) populations. Although zinc phosphide poisoning of gallinaceous birds is not uncommon, there are few published accounts of nontarget chlorophacinone poisoning of wildlife. We report three mortality events involving nontarget rodenticide poisoning in several species, including wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), a raccoon (Procyon lotor), and an American badger (Taxidea taxus). This includes the first documentation of chlorophacinone intoxication in wild turkeys and an American badger in the literature. The extent of nontarget poisoning in this area is currently unknown and warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. mgruder@uga.edu
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ruder
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Poppenga
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pitman
authors.forename: M Kevin
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Keel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D007615:Kansas; D045969:Mustelidae; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011821:Raccoons; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D014422:Turkeys
chemical_list: D012378:Rodenticides