Rat poison is killing Cape Town’s endangered caracals – researchers
· The South African
Rat poison is emerging as a hidden threat to Cape Town’s wild caracals, according to researchers studying the predators on the Cape Peninsula.
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Post-mortems conducted by the University of Cape Town’s Urban Caracal Project have repeatedly found internal bleeding linked to anticoagulant rodenticides.
Lead researcher Dr. Gabriella Leighton said the poisons are not usually eaten directly. Instead, the animals are exposed after catching contaminated prey.
“The poison is not something they can see,” she told GroundUp. “It’s an invisible threat.”
The South African has previously reported on the dangers of rodenticides after several owls in Rondebosch’s Keurboom Park died from secondary poisoning last year.
Rat poison exposure harming caracal population
Rodenticides are designed to cause internal haemorrhaging and are widely used to control rats and mice.
Leighton says poisoned rodents may take up to two weeks to die. During that time, they often become slower and easier for predators to catch.
Caracals, birds and other predators then ingest the toxins when they feed on the affected animals.
“You see a lot of free blood in the chest and abdomen,” Leighton said of the post-mortems. “It just doesn’t coagulate.”
Even when the poisoning is not immediately fatal, the chemicals can weaken the cats.
“These compounds can affect the immune system,” she noted, making animals more vulnerable to disease.
Rodenticides are commonly used to control disease-carrying rodents, particularly in places like food facilities and hospitals.
Industry representatives say responsible use and integrated pest management can limit risks, though secondary poisoning cannot be entirely eliminated.
“Unfortunately, pesticides are designed to kill an organism,” said CropLife CEO Rod Bell. “That is the basic function of it.”
Why the Cape Peninsula is vulnerable
Cape Town’s geography also increases the risk of secondary poisoning in animals.
Much of the population lives next to Table Mountain National Park, where wildlife and urban areas meet.
“Cape Town is pretty unique…we have a national park surrounded by the city,” Leighton added.
“Caracals living on the peninsula are often forced into contact with human settlements, which “puts them at much greater risk of poisoning.”
According to the City of Cape Town, poison is used as a last resort and that lower-risk products are deployed in environmentally sensitive areas.
However, Leighton says she has not seen evidence that the situation is improving, and worries the harm to caracals will be felt in the wider environment.
“When predators are not doing well their ability to control their prey species in the environment is lessened,” she said. “That’s when ecosystems very quickly get out of balance.”