Monitoring Exposure to Toxicants (and Infectious Agents) in Migrating Raptors C. Banet, Y. Weisman, E. Ershov, R. Yosef A. Shlosberg, M. Bellaiche, M. Malkinson,

MONITORING FOR EXPOSURE TO TOXICANTS LOWEST EXPOSURE IN COUNTRIES - with regulated pesticide registration & use - with control & monitoring of pollutants - with resident bird species

MONITORING FOR EXOSURE TO TOXICANTS POTENTIALLY HIGH EXPOSURE IN COUNTRIES - with poor regulated pesticide registration & use - with poor control & monitoring of pollutants - with migratory bird species

MIGRATORY RAPTORS 162 of 292 species migrate 124 in Africa and Asia ARE THREATENED BY - habitat loss 50% - direct persecution 31% - environmental contamination 21% Greatest threat to European spp. - 82%

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MASS TOXICOSES OF RAPTORS IN THE NEW WORLD IN THE OLD WORLD (both episodes caused by the OP insecticide monocrotophos)

SICK LEVANT SPARROWHAWKS, EILAT 2001

RAPTORS BREEDING IN EUROPE & NORTH AMERICA MAY BE EXPOSED TO TOXICANTS IN THEIR WINTERING QUARTERS IN AFRICA OR SOUTH AMERICA where there may be less well regulated pesticide registration & use, with insufficient control & monitoring of pollutants

HYPOTHESIS EXPOSURE CAN BE MONITORED AT RINGING STATIONS, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN WINTERING & BREEDING QUARTERS, USING SAMPLES STORED IN A STABLE FORM, AT STATIONS THAT MAY NOT HAVE STORAGE FACILITIES AND MAY BE FAR FROM ANALYTICAL LABORATORIES

HYPOTHESIS IN THE FUTURE, COULD BE REAL TIME ANALYSES AND TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL BIRDS BEFORE RELEASE IN REAL TIME TOO FOR LEAD, ANTICHOLINESTERASE INSECTICIDES, AND ANTICOAGULANT INSECTICIDES ALSO COULD BE USED TO DETERMINE NORMAL VALUES IN SPECIES – MAY LATER BE NEEDED TO HELP FIND CAUSE OF POPULATION DECLINES

Brodifacoum toxicosis in an owl

Monitoring exposure to toxicants Hypothesis is that - blood samples can be taken in a humane manner from trapped raptors - aliquots can be applied to absorbent media - after drying, is stability of the biomarker before subsequent laboratory determination - such storage overcomes difficulties of sampling, storage and dispatching

Monitoring e xposure to toxicants Procedure examined is absorption of < 0.5 ml heparinized blood onto Whatman #40 filter paper, followed by air drying & storage

0.2 ml blood for cholinesterase determination by delta pH and Ellman determinations Monitoring e xposure to toxicants Organophosphorus & carbamate insecticides Pro: First studies seem promising with regard to recovery Con: Only recent exposure (< 7 days) detected Need to determine “normal” in many spp.

0.2 ml blood for GC/ECD and GC/MS quantitative determinations Monitoring e xposure to toxicants Organochloride insecticides & PCB’s Pro: Should be no problem with stability Con: Low levels must be detected Need to determine “normal” in many spp.

0.4 ml blood for AAS and ICP quantitative determinations Monitoring e xposure to toxicants Lead, mercury, cadmium Pro: Should be no problem with stability Can do in real time too Con: Need to determine “normal” in many spp. For Cd, feathers better For Hg, determinations need AAAAS/hydride generation

Portable blood lead analyser for field use

MONITORING FOR DISEASES Done at Eilat, April-May 2001, mainly in passerines - West Nile Disease antibodies - 18% of Buteo buteo (n=34) & 33% of Accipiter brevipes (n=12) positive, compared to 19% in non-raptor spp. - Newcastle disease virus - 1 of 6 Accipiter brevipes positive - Influenza virus - no results in yet

Blood sampling for WNFV at Eilat

RAPTORS LOOKING AT US FOR A SOLUTION

SOURCES OF TOXICOSES IN RAPTORS DIRECT, SPRAYS SECONDARY MALICIOUS