Present situation of raptor poisoning in Croatia

Goran Suťić Ornithological station Rijeka Institute of Ornithology CASA

Present situation of raptor poisoning in Croatia

Poisoning in Croatia The first known poisoning campaigns in Croatia started after the World war II, but there were present for years before it, as legal hunter’s method against wolfs and foxes.

Strychnine was used as the attempt to solve the problem with wolf packs predation on sheep and other

catle.

Although use of poisoned baits for predator control was banned in 1972, the practice never stopped among the local livestock breeders, and the baits are usually placed after stray dogs, wolf packs, jackals, bears or wild boar.

Problems started in 1985, when hunters introduced wild boars (Sus scrofa) to the Kvarner Islands.

During the same period more and more jackals (Canis aureus) and bears (Ursus arctos) started to swim from the mainland to islands and to produce damage on lambs. When Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection gave the order to hunters for the elimination of all alochtonic species from all islands in Croatia, hunters refused to remove them. Wild boars, jackals and bears killed thousands of sheep and desperate shepherds were helpless.

Predators on islands: direct and indirect impact Introduced game animals (wild boar, bear, jackal, fallow deer) significantly impact island’s ecosystems on Kvarner islands (Northern Adriatic Sea) This is the threat for the long-term survival of Griffons, by direct impact (competition for food – dead sheep) or indirect impact (illegal poisoning due to economical damages caused by predators – sheepherders put poisoned baits for predators, which are eaten by those animals which it wasn’t intended for like Griffons or Golden eagles, who are, in that case - „inocent victims”).

Poisoning areas and the reason of poisoning I Against jackals Against wolves

Against bears Natura 2000 area The last population of Griffon vultures in Croatia, the highest density of Golden eagles, Bonneli’s eagle, Short-toed eagles, Peregrine falcons, Lanners‌

Extinct Griffon vulture colonies and poisoning areas

Active colonies Extinct colonies

Poisoning areas Istraživačko - edukacijski centar za zaštitu prirode, Eko centar Caput Insulae-Beli

Bear (Ursus arctos) There are about 1000 individuals - still a viable bear population in the mountains of Croatia.

However, their range is becoming increasingly restricted, so they move close to villages and to the coastal area and even swimm to islands The first bear was captured on Island of Krk in 1968, the next one was poisoned on 1972, and after that they were regularly present on the island.

In 1995 official institutions decided to eliminate each which will apear on the island of Krk. In a period between 1998 and 2016 there were 14 legaly killed bears, and several were illegaly poisoned

Wolves (Canis lupus) • Today, in Croatia there are 142-212 individuals in 49 packs, and about 23 packs are along the border with Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegowina, and 26 packs inside Croatia (data from 2013).

• During 2011 there were 1.777 killed livestock and for 95% of them wolf is responsible (included sheep 63%, goats 20% of all killed animals, and only few are cows, dogs, donkeys and horses).

• In one year (15 Sept.2011 - 15 Sept 2012) there were 35 legaly and illegaly killed wolves, and unknown number of illegaly poisoned individuals.

• Recently wolves entered Učka Nature Park and killed several sheep. Few months after it, two poisoned Griffons were found inside that Nature park.

Jackals (Canis aureus) • During 2009 number of killed jackals was 695, but it conitinue to spread to the north (see the map) • It appeared on the Island of Rab in 2003, and a huge Griffon vulture poisoning occurred in 2004.

Farmer filled a sheep carcass with carbofuran and 17 Griffons died at the place and 3 of them later, as well as two Buzzards.

• In 2014 jackals appeared on the Island of Krk and started to kill lambs. In two years few towsend sheep were killed, as well as 3 jackals.

Recently two jackals were poisoned, as well as 4 Griffon vultures.

Committee for problems of illegal poisoning in nature We have established coordination between the NGOs for nature protection, lokal sheep owners, police, inspection for nature protection and Veterinary University in Zagreb, to draw a scheme for procedure of handling poisoned animals.

Although we succeded to establish a Committee for the problems of illegal poisoning in nature in 2001, within a Ministry of Environement and Nature protection, work of the Committee was stopped in 2003 when the political changes influenced the structure of the ministries.

It was never established again. Croatian authorities are indifferent to cases of poisoned animals and they consider the use of poison to be regulated by the 1972 Act.

Even the most recent Strategy for Nature Protection in Croatia (2016) does NOT mention at all poison as a threat for biodiversity!

Poisoning as one of the biggest threats for Griffons Our estimation is that a number of 300-500 Griffon vultures have been poisoned in a period of the last 50 years (there are 159-201 recorded in the period 19852016) Poisoning is one of the most probable causes for extinction of the Egyptian and Cinereous Vultures from Croatia.

Almost 20% of all causes is – poisoning.

mortality

Analysis In the period from 1996-2013, in the Rescue centre for Griffon vultures, 163 Griffon vultures arrived, 31 of which died, and 15 of them had significant neurological symptoms.

In the same period 23 specimens were analyzed. We have proved that poisoning of vultures is reality and poisons were toxins (pesticides and rodenticides) from the group of carbamates and organophosphates (Carbofuran, Methomyl, Deltamethrin) Some analyses had shown that organochlorine hydrocarbon residues such as DDT and its isomers and PCB congeners were determined in muscle and liver of dead Griffon vultures.

Methomyl and Carbofuran In 2004, the carcass of a juvenile Griffon vulture with a two-day history of convulsions, vomiting, tremor, seizures, propulsions and lack of co-ordination was presented to The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb.

The bird had not responded to supportive care, including the administration of Ringer solution, vitamins and 10% glucose solution as well as subcutaneous atropine injections.

Toxicological analysis, however, revealed the presence of 9.3 mg of methomyl, 6.7 mg of methomyloxime and 6.1 mg of deltamethrin per kg of stomach content.

Based on the few analyses, Methomyl and Carbofuran were the most frequently used pesticides involved in illegal use of poison. The other problem could be veterinary drugs used by shepherds to protect their sheep against ecto- and endoparasites.

• From: Goran Sušić Sent: Thursday, October 6, 2016 4:17 PM To: 'kresimir.ilic@mzoip.hr' <kresimir.ilic@mzoip.hr> Cc: 'tvrtko.drmic@mzoip.hr' <tvrtko.drmic@mzoip.hr>; 'ivanka.jelenic@mzoip.hr' <ivanka.jelenic@mzoip.hr>; 'Zrinka Domazetović' <Zrinka.Domazetovic@mzoip.hr>; Ivana Jelenić <Ivana.Jelenic@mzoip.hr>; Ljiljana Vrbanec <Ljiljana.Vrbanec@mzoip.hr>; 'ministar@mzoip.hr' <ministar@mzoip.hr>; 'irina.zupan@mzoip.hr' <irina.zupan@mzoip.hr> Subject: otrovani sup

Poštovani,

Danas u 12.15h dobili smo dojavu s otoka Krka, pored mjesta Punat, od dipl. ing. Ive Labaš da je uz jata supova koji su nadlijetali odlagalište smeća jedan pao na tlo. Poslala nam je filmić (u prilogu) iz kojeg smo zaključili da se gotovo sigurno radi o trovanju, poput onog na istom lokalitetu 4.travnja kad smo prijavili 2 otrovana bjeloglava supa.

Odmah smo otišli po pticu, koja je u trenutku dolaska bila na samrti i ubrzo zatim, otprilike 3h nakon pada iz zraka, uginula. Pticu smo ostavili u Veterinarskom institutu u Rijeci, kod dr. Antona Tomca, koji ne može započeti postupak utvrđivanja uzroka smrti bez naloga Državnog odvjetništva.

Odmah smo nazvali inspektoricu zaštite prirode, gđu. Ivanku Jelenić, koja nam je odgovorila da je nemoćna bilo što poduzeti, kao i da još uvijek NE ZNA koji su rezultati toksikološke analize dva bjeloglava supa predana na analizu PRIJE VIŠE OD 6 MJESECI!!!! Rekla mi je da se obratim Ministarstvu, nakon čega sam nazvao gđu. Ljiljanu Vrbanec, koja me uputila da vam se obratim ovim dopisom.

Napominjem da smo svi zajedno izgubili 6 mjeseci nedjelovanja u razdoblju dok se na Krku provodi masovno trovanje čagljeva. Gotovo svako lovac i/ili ovčar zna tko truje, koliko je čagljeva do sada otrovano, koliko su ovaca zaklali i sl.

Postavljam pitanje: da li naše nadležne institucije NAMJERNO ne žele poduzeti ništa da se spriječi katastrofa velikih razmjera, u kojoj će stradati bjeloglavi supovi, suri orlovi i niz drugih strogo zaštićenih i ugroženih vrsta? Djelatnici deponije pričali su nam da povremeno pronalaze mrtve „sokolove“ ili neke „takve manje grabljivice“, ali nisu znali da to treba prijavljivati.

Molim vas da poduzmete ono što je u vašoj nadležnosti i ubrzate postupak sprječavanja daljnje tragedije po posljednju populaciju bjeloglavih supova u Hrvatskoj, te ostalih strogo zaštićenih vrsta. Ovaj puta na znanje stavljam ovaj dopis i g. Ministru, jer sam uvjeren da nije informiran o ovako nedjelotvornoj zaštiti prirode u praksi.

Srdačno, dr.sc. Goran Sušić

Poštovani, Danas sam dobila usmeni odgovor iz ODO Rijeka da nisam stranka u postupku vezano za uvid i dobivanje podataka u predmetu stradavanja bjeloglavih supova na otoku Krku.

Na moje inzistiranje dana mi je uputa da se mogu pismeno obratiti i da ću dobiti pismeni odgovor.

S poštovanjem, REPUBLIKA HRVATSKA / REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Ministarstvo zaštite okoliša i prirode Ministery of Environmental and Nature Protection

mr.sc. Ivanka Jelenić, viša inspektorica zaštite prirode Sektor za inspekcijski nadzor zaštite prirode / Sector for Nature Protection Inspection Uprava za inspekcijske poslove / Directorate for Inspectorial Affairs Ured u Rijeci, Blaža Polića 2/1 51000 Rijeka phone: 385 51 325 776 mob: 098 406 313 e-mail: ivanka.jelenic@mzoip.hr www.mzoip.hr

Dying is very painful...it could lasts for 6 hours!

I

Croatian nature conservation authorities:

Poisoning???

What poisoning?

Thank you for your attention.. â&#x20AC;Śand a kiss to all by the gentle Griffons ď &#x160;