Produced by Opterra in collaboration with the Swedish Ranger and Nature Conservation Association

PART 2.2: Poisoning

CONTENTS

1. PART 2.2: Poisoning
   1. 🧪☠️ Poisoning Deaths
   2. 🧪 Common substances in poison bait
   3. ⚠️ Typical physical signs at the scene
   4. 📍 Site Assessment
   5. 📷 Field Procedures
   6. 📝 Reporting
   7. 💬❗ Important to Remember
   8. 🔍 Field Summary Table – Poisoning Death
   9. ⚠️ Common Physical Signs in Mammals
   10. 🩸 Type of Toxin Affects Bleeding Pattern
   11. Quick Table – Poisoning Signs by Animal Group
   12. 🧬 Anatomical Traits
   13. ⚠️ Key Field Signs in Canids
   14. 📍 Site Behaviour
   15. 🔍🐾 Investigation and Evidence
   16. 📝 Field Assessment
   17. 🧬 Anatomical Traits
   18. ⚠️ Key Field Signs in Felids
   19. 📍 Site Behaviour
   20. 🧪 Specific Chemical Reaction – Strychnine
   21. 📝 Field Assessment
   22. 🧬 Anatomical Traits
   23. ⚠️ Typical Field Signs in Birds
   24. 📍 Site Behaviour
   25. ⚠️ Species-Specific Variation
   26. 📷 Field Procedures
   27. 🔍🐾 Investigation and Evidence
   28. 📝 Field Assessment
   29. 💬❗ Final Reminders

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🧪☠️ Poisoning Deaths

Purpose: Support conservation staff in the field when poisoning is suspected. Enable rapid identification, proper documentation, and legally sound actions.

⚠️ Most common cause of illegal predator deaths

Poisoned bait is used globally to kill predators—sometimes also for food or traditional medicine.*

In Spain, over 200,000 animals died from poisoning between 1992 and 2017.**

Reference:

_{*Márquez, C. J. M., R. Villafuerte Vargas, and J. E. Fa. “Understanding the propensity of wild predators to illegal poison baiting.” Animal Conservation, 2012: 118-129}

_{** de la Bodega, Cano, Mínguez, 2020. El veneno en España. Evolución del envenenamiento de fauna silvestre (1992-2017). SEO/BirdLife and WWF, Madrid.}

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🧪 Common substances in poison bait

• Glycol (ethylene glycol)
  Effects: Symptoms appear 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion. Causes metabolic acidosis and kidney damage → seizures, vomiting, coma
• Aldicarb and carbofuran (illegal substances)
  Effects: Affect the nervous system by inhibiting cholinesterase → seizures, vomiting, bleeding, death via cardiac arrest

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⚠️ Typical physical signs at the scene

• Abnormal body position – tense muscles, twisted limbs/wings
• Saliva/slime – around beak or mouth (even if dried)
• Clustered deaths – multiple carcasses nearby = likely local exposure
• Insects with damaged wings – sign of toxins in carcass
• Dead microfauna & reptiles – strengthens suspicion of local poisoning
• No carrion insects? – abnormal → possible long-distance poisoning

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