As Wildlife Dies, Kenya Considers Pesticide Ban

[The Straight Story]

As Wildlife Dies, Kenya Considers Pesticide Ban

02 June 2009

In Kenya, parliament is being asked to ban a pesticide that's been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of animals, including many lions. Kenyan MP John Matutho is introducing legislation to prohibit the use of Furadan – a cheap but lethal chemical originally manufactured by the US based FMC Corporation.

The conservation group Wildlife Direct supports the ban, which would replace a buy-back program for Furadan. It says local herdsmen are using it to poison lions and other carnivores threatening their livestock.

In Nairobi, WildlifeDirect executive director Dr. Paula Kahumbu says, "This is a pesticide that has recently been banned in the United States. It's also banned in Europe because it's been found to be unsafe to be used even if we follow the label instructions.… It's one of the most dangerous pesticides actually available at the moment."

It's readily obtainable over the counter in Africa. "It's very, very cheap. In fact, it's probably the cheapest pesticide available," she says.

Deadly to wildlife

In the early 1990s, it was discovered that water birds were dying large numbers after Furadanwas used in some irrigation systems.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-06-02-voa40.cfm

[tabatha]

1. I hope that in about 20 years, the use of peticides will be

considered abhorrent.