CBS 60 minutes – lion poisoning

Last night CBS showed the follow up to their 60 minutes program on the misuse of Furadan, to poison lions and other wildlife in Kenya. Click here to read about the program and watch the video.

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We are very grateful to CBS for publicizing the devastating effects that Furadan poisoning has had on lions and other African wildlife. Until the 60 minutes program aired, the manufacturer of Furadan had consistently denied all the evidence of massive wildlife deaths due to its misuse. Immediately following the broadcast, they withdrew it from the Kenya market and farmers have switched to less dangerous products for legitimate pest control needs.

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This was a tremendous victory for conservation, but carbofuran, the generic version of Furadan, is made by other companies and can be imported under different trade names. Carbofuran is banned in Europe, and in the process of being banned in the US.

We and other conservationists insist that the governments of Kenya and other countries must take the essential further step of banning the importation and manufacture of carbofuran under any name.

Wildlife in Africa is declining rapidly due to human population growth and lack of effective conservation measures. Banning lethal poisons is one simple step by which governments can protect their dwindling natural resources.

4 Comments

  • sauwah says:

    the program stated that this poison was imported both in uganda as well as tanzana. and both are next door to kenya.and both have predators like lions.

    the countries that export such odorless and tasteless poison must stop. how? maybe under the pressure of its markets and the world trade?

  • Alana says:

    Pressure on politicians and law makers to hold the manufacturers responsible would be a place to start.

    The following document discusses ,in detail, some of the rules and problems with voluntary compliance ;
    http://www.law.fsu.edu/Journals/landuse/Vol131/reyntxt.html
    INTERNATIONAL PESTICIDE TRADE: IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THE EFFECTIVE REGULATION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES?
    CAPTAIN JEFFERSON D. REYNOLDS IS THE DEPUTY REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL COUNSEL, EASTERN REGION, FOR THE UNITED STATE AIR FORCE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA. J.D., 1990, HAMLINE UNIVERSITY, 1990; LL.M., 1995, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, 1995
    Copyright © 1997 Florida State University Journal of Land Use & Environmental Law

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