The use of pesticide as a tool to poach big cats has set off alarm bells in wildlife authorities. Several big cats have fallen prey to the readily-available Furadan (Carbofuran), a toxic pesticide, which is easily available at Rs 60 to Rs 70 per kg and is extensively used in a wide variety of crops.
Experts say that because of its rapid metabolism and absorption in blood and release through excretion, the pesticide does not accumulate in the tissues. This makes it very difficult to detect the pesticide in post-mortem.
The finding has come to light through a research carried out by experts, including Dr Abhishek Singh of Endangered Flora and Fauna on Earth Conservation Team (EFFECT), Dr Utkarsh Shukla, Deputy Director lucknow Zoo, and Paramjit Singh, Chief Conservator of Forest, Kumaon, Uttarakhand.
According to Paramjit Singh, who was earlier in the State Wildlife Crime Control Board, the post-mortem on majority of tigers and leopards in Uttarakhand did not reveal any definite cause of death. The samples sent to various forensic and veterinary laboratories also drew a blank.
After sustained interrogation of suspects and informers, it came to light that Furadan is being used increasingly to poach tigers, leopards and migratory birds around lakes.
This highly toxic pesticide is odorless and tasteless. Easily and widely available, it is used to control insects in a wide variety of field crops, including potatoes, corn and soybeans, thereby making it the perfect weapon for exterminating big cats. In fact, it continues to be one of the most preferred insecticides of rice and sugarcane farmers.
The informers, explaining the modus operandi, disclosed that this poison is applied to either cuts on animals killed by big cats or applied to animals put up as baits. The big cats end up taking sufficient quantity of insecticide in the process.
Death occurs within an hour for tigers and leopard, and within few minutes for birds. In its granular form, a single grain is sufficient to kill a bird. Birds often eat numerous grains of the pesticide, mistaking them for seeds.
The detection of poison is not easy as the pesticide is not traced in post-mortem. The carcass is found well-fed as death is within 1 or 2 hours, and there are no skin bruises, pointed out the experts.