Page 82 - Veterinary Toxicology, Basic and Clinical Principles, 3rd Edition

Epidemiology of Animal Poisonings in Europe Chapter | 3 49

VetBooks.ir the intensity varied among bird species and among (compatible with subclinical or clinical signs) involving
birds of prey (Table 3.2), both predators and scavengers
regions across the European Union. Remarkably, Mateo
(2009) detected a clear negative relationship between the
(Mateo, 2009; Pain et al., 2009; Guitart et al., 2010b;
prevalence of Pb shot ingestion and the wintering popula- Berny et al., 2015; Delahay and Spray, 2015). Raptors are
tion trend in Europe of 15 waterfowl species. However, a at risk both from prey killed with shotguns, such as wild-
study conducted in two wetland areas in northern Greece fowl, upland game birds and rabbits, and with rifles, such
involving lesser and greater white-fronted goose (Anser as deer and other large game. Recent radiographic studies
erythropus and Anser albifrons, respectively), showed have shown that many small bullet fragments remain
that exposure to Pb was very mild and the measured inside prey shot with Pb-based bullets, posing a risk not
levels of Pb were well below the proposed thresholds for only to raptors but also to human consumers of this
lethal effects of Pb poisoning (Aloupi et al., 2015). hunted game (Delahay and Spray, 2015). Up to 2009, Pb
Poisoning of swans after ingestion of Pb split-shot or sin- poisoning had been reported in 17 species of birds of prey
kers also occurs in Belgium, Ireland, and the United in Europe, some of which are near-threatened such as the
Kingdom (Perrins et al., 2003; Tavernier et al., 2004). white-tailed eagle or are vulnerable such as the Spanish
Nonraptor upland birds are also victims, and a prevalence imperial eagle (Mateo, 2009).
of 1.4% and 7.8% for red-legged partridges was found in Last but not the least, a case of Pb poisoning involving
the United Kingdom and Sweden, respectively. zoo dolphins was reported in The Netherlands in 2008.
There have been several reports over the last 10 years Apparently, the animals had ingested metal from a dam-
of Pb poisoning or high levels of exposure to Pb aged diving belt.

TABLE 3.2 Poisonings Reported in the Last 10 15 Years in Europe for Wildlife Species
Species Poison Country
American mink (Mustela vison) Pesticides (anticoagulants) FR
Atlantic puffin (Fratercula artica) Oil ES, FR, PT
Barn owl (Tyto alba) Metals (Cd) ES
Pesticides (anticoagulants) UK
Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) Metals (Pb) ES, FR
Beech marten (Martes foina) Pesticides (anticoagulants) BE
Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) Metals (Pb) ES
Pesticides (strychnine, carbamates) EL, ES
Common buzzard (Buteo buteo) Metals (Pb) ES
Oil ES
Pesticides (carbamates) BE, CZ, ES
Common guillemot (Uria aalgae) Oil ES, FR, PT
Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) Oil ES
Pesticides (carbamates) ES
Common raven (Corvus corax) Pesticides (carbamates) CZ, ES
Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) Oil FR
Common vole (Microtus arvalis) Pesticides (carbamates) CZ
Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) Pesticides (carbamates) FR
Dolphin Metals (Pb) NL
Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) Metals (Pb) ES
Pesticides (carbamates) ES

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