The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking information involving a case of wildlife poisoning in eastern Madison County, Kentucky. Persons who may have information leading to the people responsible for the deaths of two hawks, a crow, a raccoon, and an opossum are being asked to contact the Service’s Law Enforcement Office in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Officers from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources responded to a complaint of wildlife being poisoned on April 2, 2004, after a neighbor’s dog was found sick adjacent to the intersection of Wheeler Branch Road and Poosey Ridge Road (Route 595) in Madison County. The officers recovered the wildlife carcasses from thesame general area where the dog had been found sick.

Laboratory analysis revealed the dog had ingested meat on which the agricultural pesticide Carbofuran had been applied. Carbofuran is sold under the brand name of Furadan, a restricted use agricultural pesticide developedto control insects and nematodes in farm crops. Furadan and other highly toxic pesticides such as Temik have been misused and applied to meat baits or injected into chicken eggs in misguided and illegal attempts to kill coyotes or other predators.

“Poison baits can result in the deaths of family pets, other animals, and migratory birds, such as hawks, and eagles,” said Bob Snow, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Frankfort, Kentucky. “We are asking that anyone who has information that could help us identify the people responsible for the poisoning to please contact us.”

Agent Snow’s telephone number is (502) 695-2722.

The use of Furadan in a manner inconsistent with its labeling which results in the take (killing or injury) of migratory birds, such as hawks, is a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well aslawscontrolling the use of pesticides enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Other agencies involved in the joint investigation of this case are the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigations Division.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.

2004 News Releases