BC Nature has asked us to join other federated clubs in supporting the Citizens Speak Petition to ban the 
use of rodenticides (commonly know as rat poisons) in BC.
As rodents become ill after ingesting rat poison, they become slower in their movements and are easy prey for owls, other winged predators, and wild carnivores such as coyotes, foxes, and bobcats. Even family pets can take such prey. The predators who eat these rodents become ill themselves and can die. The Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (OWL) in Delta sees many such cases of poisoning in owls and other birds of prey each year. Sadly, many of them die despite the administration of vitamin K, a nutrient that assists with blood clotting.
Please consider joining us in signing the petition.
If you want to learn more about this issue, here are some links:
- Conservation report in the fall 2020 BC Nature magazine (page 9)
- Ban Rat Poisons Fact Sheet (Printed by OWL and Defend Them All Foundation. BCNature has signed on.)
- Defending Nature Against Rodenticides (A scholarly treatise by Marie Turcott, Defend Them All Legal Fellow, Vancouver, BC: the paper includes recommendations for action at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.)
- BCSPCA Resource kit to support municipal policy changes.
- Information from the BCSPCA about effects of rodenticides and humane alternatives
- Some current legislation and rulings:
Photo: courtesy of Chris Dale. Chris found this Barred Owl one February some years ago, along our Nature Loop trail. The Barred Owl is the most common owl species in our area and like other species of owls depends on rodents for food.