Abstract:
During a six-year period (from January 2009 to December 2014), specimens collected from
344 cases of suspected organophosphorus and carbamate pesticide poisonings in wildlife,
including birds, were submitted to the Toxicology Laboratory (ARC-OVI) for analysis. A
positive diagnosis was made in 135 (39%) of these cases. The majority of cases were from
birds, which included Cape vultures (Gyps coprotheres) and African white-backed vultures
(Gyps africanus) and bateleur eagles (Terathopius ecaudatus). In one incident 49 vultures were
killed when a farmer intentionally laced carcasses with carbofuran in an attempt to control
jackal predation. There were 22 incidents of poisoning in helmeted guineafowl (Numida
meleagris). On nine different occasions blue cranes (Anthropoides paradiseus) were poisoned,
in one incident 14 birds were reported to have been killed. Over the period of investigation,
there were 20 cases of poisoning involving mammalian species, the majority being vervet
monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). The carbamate pesticides were responsible for 57
incidents of poisoning. Aldicarb, carbofuran and methomyl were detected in 26, 18 and 12
cases respectively. The majority of organophosphorus pesticide poisonings were caused by
diazinon (n = 19), monocrotophos (n = 13) and methamidophos (n = 10).
