COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — On Marco Island alone, more than 20 birds of prey have been found dead or extremely ill due to suspected rodenticide since the beginning of 2023, according to Audubon Western Everglades.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Von Arx Wildlife Hospital has also seen significant increases in sick birds and mammals from across Collier County.
“We believe rat poison is causing a significant decrease in our population of burrowing owls and other birds of prey in the area,” said Brittany Piersma, a field biologist with Audubon Western Everglades.
“We’re killing the natural ecosystem. The natural predators that would take out these pests. It’s a vicious cycle because we are so out of whack with what we could be doing,” said Joanna Fitzgerald, the Executive Director of the Von Arx Wildlife Hospital.
Both groups point directly to “rat boxes,” commonly found along residential and commercial buildings.
“A lot of people think that the black boxes with the rat poison they have, the rats go inside and they eat the poison and die within the box. That’s sadly not the case. These rats are eating the poison, stumbling around as they die outside, and are easy prey for any bird of prey,” said Piersma, who adds this is the primary problem.
The rat poison affects birds primarily but can injure or kill any animal that preys on rat populations.
Animals ABC7 can confirm have been impacted in the last six months include:
- Burrowing Owls
- Bald Eagles
- Bard Owls
- Red Hawks
- Broad-Winged Hawks
- Screech Owls
- Cooper’s Hawks
- Opossums
“Now that burrowing owls are nesting and trying to feed their young, a lot of times it goes for an easy prey source to go feed their young. They feed that rat to them and they are affected,” said Piersma.
“It’s breeding season. You have adult raptors feeding their young, trying to raise them up. By default, if they get across a poisoned rat, now they’re feeding it to their babies,” added Fitzgerald.
Rat poison toxicity, or rodenticide, prevents the animal’s blood from clotting, according to the Von Arx Hospital Staff.
It also acts as a neurotoxin, similar to red tide, which can make birds and animals act intoxicated, stumble, and turn sedentary.
“They look like they are vomiting up what makes them sick. Others we are finding that are deceased, they start to bleed internally. That rodent poison, essentially what it is. They can’t clot,” said Piersma.
Both the Von Arx Hospital and Audubon Western Everglades recommend removing “rat boxes” and using rat poison on your properties.
Other options include less toxic measures, such as glue traps and traditional mouse traps.
“It’s just an indiscriminate use of these rodenticides. They are everywhere,” said Fitzgerald.
If you see an animal that looks like it matches the description of rat poisoning, or if an animal is deceased with no visible markings, contact the following organizations based on location: