Wildlife Poisoning Research Articles

Intentional Carbofuran poisoning in 7 dogs

BackgroundCarbofuran is a widely used broad-spectrum pesticide that, despite strict regulation and being banned for more than a decade, is still encountered in cases of intentional poisoning in dogs and wildlife. The objective of the study was to provide a complete and detailed description of the pathological, histological and toxicological findings of 7 cases of intentional carbofuran poisoning in dogs.ResultsIn this retrospective study, 7 cases of carbofuran intoxication recorded from July 2015 to June 2017 were analyzed. Following complete history recording, all cases were examined by complete necropsy and histopathology. Carbofuran intoxication was confirmed in all cases by gas chromatography. The postmortem examination revealed extensive hemorrhaging and congestion located mainly within the respiratory, nervous and cardiovascular systems, accompanied by degeneration and necrosis within the lungs, heart, and kidneys.ConclusionsAlthough carbamates have been banned in the European Union, carbamate poisoning is still frequently encountered, especially in wild animals. This paper will contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence and pathogenesis of acute carbofuran exposure in dogs and contribute some peculiar pathological features of this type of poisoning to the current literature.

Direct evidence of poison-driven widespread population decline in a wild vertebrate

Toxicants such as organochlorine insecticides, lead ammunition, and veterinary drugs have caused severe wildlife poisoning, pushing the populations of several apex species to the edge of extinction. These prime cases epitomize the serious threat that wildlife poisoning poses to biodiversity. Much of the evidence on population effects of wildlife poisoning rests on assessments conducted at an individual level, from which population-level effects are inferred. Contrastingly, we demonstrate a straightforward relationship between poison-induced individual mortality and population changes in the threatened red kite (Milvus milvus). By linking field data of 1,075 poisoned red kites to changes in occupancy and abundance across 274 sites (10 × 10-km squares) over a 20-y time frame, we show a clear relationship between red kite poisoning and the decline of its breeding population in Spain, including local extinctions. Our results further support the species listing as endangered, after a breeding population decline of 31% to 43% in two decades of this once-abundant raptor. Given that poisoning threatens the global populations of more than 2,600 animal species worldwide, a greater understanding of its population-level effects may aid biodiversity conservation through increased regulatory control of chemical substances. Our results illustrate the great potential of long-term and large-scale on-ground monitoring to assist in this task.

A field study in support of the monitoring of priority substances in German freshwater fish: derivation of fillet-to-whole fish conversion factors

BackgroundBioaccumulating contaminants in surface waters are preferably monitored in fish for assessing the related risks to and via the aquatic environment. Consequently, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires a monitoring of certain priority substances such as mercury, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDD) and polychlorinated dioxins/dioxin-like compounds (dioxins) in freshwater and coastal fish. Tissue levels have to comply with biota environmental quality standards (EQSs) given in Directive 2013/39/EU. EQSs are justified either by risks for human health (assessed on the basis of fillet) or secondary poisoning of wildlife (based on whole fish). To support the practical implementation of the WFD biota monitoring in Germany, comparative investigations of target fish species caught at six sites were performed.ResultsAt each site, at least three fish species listed in a national guidance document were sampled (e.g., chub, roach, bream, perch). Beside biometric data, concentrations of seven priority substances were determined in pooled fillet and carcass samples and whole fish data were calculated. The EQSs for PBDE and mercury were exceeded in nearly all fillet and whole fish samples. PFOS was above the EQS at several sites especially in perch, while HCB exceeded the EQS only at one site (Elbe River). All fillet and whole fish samples complied with the EQSs for dioxins and HBCDD. Based on wet weight concentrations of a homogeneous set of 20 composite sample pairs of 3–5 year-old fish, the following fillet-to-whole fish conversion factors were derived: mercury 0.81, PBDE 5.4, HCB 3.6, PFOS 2.7, dioxins 5.3, and HBCDD 1.8.ConclusionsRecommendations on selection of target fish species, age or tissue given by EU and national guidance documents are practical and feasible. However, further adjustments of the samplings such as the determination of site-specific length–age relationships are required from both ecological and risk assessment perspectives. The derived conversion factors allow the translation of fillet-to-whole fish concentrations (and vice versa), and thus the EQS compliance assessment for the appropriate tissue (fillet for human health, whole fish for wildlife risks) if only one tissue is investigated.

Poisoning poached megafauna can boost trade in African vultures

Illegal wildlife trade threatens iconic species, such as elephants, rhinos or giraffes, on which poaching pressure has increased in recent times. By poisoning the carcasses of poached megafauna to prevent the early detection of poachers, this illegal activity is contributing to push African vultures to the brink of extinction. But poisoning vultures at poached carcasses of megafauna can also boost belief-based trade of vulture body parts by facilitating access to otherwise difficult-to-reach species. Since increased vulture availability through megafauna poaching could stimulate not only domestic, but also international trade, we call for transboundary coordination to effectively track the real dimension of this pervasive synergy. Existing monitoring schemes of megafauna poaching (e.g. CITES Monitoring of the Illegal Killing of Elephants, MIKE) and wildlife poisoning (e.g. African Wildlife Poison Database) can be a promising starting point. For example, by counting the number of vultures with missing parts at each megafauna carcass, while guiding the implementation of similar monitoring for other species threatened by poaching. Besides straightforward impacts on target species, illegal wildlife trade affects non-target species, with collateral damages being increasingly highlighted. Pervasive synergies such as the one we describe here deserves further international attention to prevent that poaching will spread for other purposes.

The lead (Pb) lining of agriculture‐related subsidies: enhanced Golden Eagle growth rates tempered by Pb exposure

AbstractSupplementary food resources (e.g., subsidies) associated with agriculture can benefit wildlife species, increasing predictability and availability of food. Avian scavengers including raptors often utilize subsidies associated with both recreational hunting and pest shooting on agricultural lands. However, these subsidies can contain lead (Pb) fragments if they are culled with Pb‐based ammunition, potentially leading to Pb poisoning and physiological impairment in wildlife. Nesting Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) commonly forage in agricultural lands during the breeding season, and therefore, both adults and their nestlings are susceptible to Pb exposure from scavenging shot wildlife. We assessed drivers of Pb exposure in 258 nestling Golden Eagles (401 total blood samples), along with physiological and growth responses, in agricultural lands across four western states in the United States. We also evaluated the birds’ Pb stable isotope signatures to inform exposure sources. Twenty‐six percent of Golden Eagle nestlings contained Pb concentrations associated with subclinical poisoning for sensitive species (0.03–0.2 μg/g ww), 4% had Pb concentrations that exceeded subclinical poisoning benchmarks (0.2–0.5 μg/g ww), and <1% exceeded either concentrations associated with clinical poisoning (0.5–1.0 μg/g ww) and or those deemed to cause severe clinical poisoning (>1.0 μg/g ww). Lead concentrations were highest in nestlings with close proximity to fields that potentially provided subsidies and declined exponentially as distance to subsidies increased. However, close proximity to agriculture, and presumably subsidies, positively influenced nestling growth rates. Across the range of Pb exposure, nestlings experienced a 67% reduction in delta‐aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ‐ALAD) activity, suggesting nestlings may have been anemic or experiencing cellular damage. Isotopic ratios of 206Pb/207Pb increased non‐linearly with increasing blood Pb in Golden Eagle nestlings, and 45% of the birds were consistent with those of ammunition. However, above 0.10 μg/g ww, the proportion associated with ammunition increased to 89% of the nestlings. An improved understanding of how these positive (growth) and negative (physiology) effects associated with proximity to subsidies interact would be beneficial to managers when considering management scenarios and potentially evaluating any measures taken to reduce Pb exposure across the landscape.

Communication strategies for reducing lead poisoning in wildlife and human health risks

ABSTRACTAlthough lead poisoning in North American waterfowl has been reduced, it persists among other wildlife. To address this issue, we review lead poisoning in wildlife and threats to human health, describe the recent socio‐political landscape, and develop a framework for reducing lead exposure related to hunting ammunition and fishing tackle. Despite substantial information about lead poisoning in wildlife, an explicit and strategic plan for using existing information to develop an effective communication program is lacking. Local and regional efforts encouraging hunters and anglers to voluntarily use nonlead alternatives could benefit from a nationally coordinated and strategic focus. We propose that the diffusion of innovation theory provides a useful framework for developing and implementing voluntary nonlead hunting ammunition and fishing tackle programs. Further, it can help communicators refine messages, increase efficiencies in developing communication materials, and monitor adoption of nonlead alternatives. The initial step in this process, however, is to engage stakeholders about the importance of the issue and leverage that concern as a catalyst for positive change. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Complex utilisation of ekibastuz brown coal fly ash: Iron & carbon separation and aluminum extraction

Fly ash landfills that accumulate a by-product of coal combustion and gasification represent a permanent threat to the surrounding environment due to many factors (air and water pollution, soil contamination, wildlife poisoning, etc). Moreover, disposed coal fly ash may contain significant amounts of valuable elements that are not extracted and potentially wasted. To improve the above situation, a combined ash treatment process was developed for utilisation of the coal fly ash waste from coal-fired power stations. The ash treatment includes three stages: 1) magnetic separation of an iron-containing fraction, 2) carbon separation by floatation, and 3) extraction of aluminum by the autoclave hydrochloric acid leaching. The lab-scale results of the ash treatment applied to the Ekibastuz brown coal fly ash from the Omsk power stations (Russia) were presented and discussed. The XRD analysis showed that the fly ash consists primarily of quartz, mullite and magnetite. It was found that the magnetic fraction separated at the first stage is enriched in magnetite (over 20 wt %), the carbon content in the concentrate after flotation increases to 27 wt %, and 90–95% of aluminum can be extracted during the autoclave acid leaching. The SEM analysis showed that the magnetite phase is grown on the surface of alumosilicate spheres as ∼1 μm cubic crystals. The effect of the autoclave temperature and exposure time on the Al extraction efficiency was also investigated and analysed in the present paper. The optimal autoclave temperature and exposure time were found to achieve the maximum Al extraction efficiency. It was also found by the SEM microanalysis that further extraction of aluminum is not economically feasible since the remaining Al is evenly surrounded by SiO2 in the fly ash particles.

Animal welfare and ecology in the contested ethics of rodent control in Cape Town

AbstractThere is growing concern globally about the inhumane treatment of ‘pest’ animals, including rodents, and about the ecological consequences of rodenticides, notably the poisoning of non-target wildlife like raptors and scavengers. Recent contestation between Environmental Health (EH) officials in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest African township, and the National Council for Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) illustrates the tension that can arise between innovative ecologically-focused strategies and existing legislation and animal protection practices. In 2013/14 EH officials introduced a job-creation project to trap and drown rats, describing it as ‘humane’ because it avoided poison thereby posing no danger to wildlife such as owls. The NSPCA, however, halted the project, arguing that drowning was both inhumane and illegal. Death by poison is also inhumane but the South Africa’s Animals Protection Act (1962) allows it (and trapping and hunting) to be used against ‘pests’/‘vermin’. The NSPCA, which has never challenged the Act for allowing the inhumane treatment of these animals, used it to trump local preferences. A representative survey from Khayelitsha showed that there was some support for an NSPCA-like position (14% thought that drowning was cruel and that workers should not be allowed to trap and drown rats) but that the majority (70%) indicated that they were both concerned about the poisoning of non-target animals and supported the continuation of the trapping and drowning project. This was not a contestation over whether animals should be protected, but over how to do this, and which animals to include.

Acute and Chronic Lead Exposure in Four Avian Scavenger Species in Switzerland.

Despite irrefutable evidence of its negative impact on animal behaviour and physiology, lethal and sublethal lead poisoning of wildlife is still persistent and widespread. For scavenging birds, ingestion of ammunition, or fragments thereof, is the major exposure route. In this study, we examined the occurrence of lead in four avian scavengers of Switzerland and how it differs between species, regions, and age of the bird. We measured lead concentration in liver and bone of the two main alpine avian scavengers (golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos and bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus) over the entire area of the Swiss Alps and two of the main avian scavengers occurring in the lowlands of Switzerland (red kite Milvus milvus and common raven Corvus corax). Of those four species, only the bearded vulture is an obligate scavenger. We found that lead burdens in the two alpine avian scavengers were higher than those found for the same species elsewhere in Europe or North America and reached levels compatible with acute poisoning, whereas lead burdens of the two lowland avian scavengers seemed to be lower. Several golden eagles, but only one red kite with abnormally high bone lead concentrations were found. In all four species, a substantial proportion of birds had elevated levels which presumably represent recent (liver lead levels) or past (bone lead levels) uptake of sublethal doses of lead.

Rating the risks of anticoagulant rodenticides in the aquatic environment: a review

Anticoagulant rodenticides are used worldwide to control commensal rodents for hygienic and public health reasons. As anticoagulants act on all vertebrates, risk is high for unintentional poisoning of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Causative associations have been demonstrated for the unintended poisoning of terrestrial nontarget organisms. However, behavior and fate of anticoagulant rodenticides in the aquatic environment have received minimal attention in the past despite considerable acute toxicity of several anticoagulants to aquatic species such as fish. In light of recent regulatory developments in the European Union concerning rodenticides, we critically review available information on the environmental occurrence, fate, and impact of anticoagulant rodenticides in the aquatic environment and identify potential risks and routes of exposure as well as further research needs. Recent findings of anticoagulant rodenticides in raw and treated wastewater, sewage sludge, estuarine sediments, suspended particulate matter, and liver tissue of freshwater fish in the low ng/L and µg/kg range, respectively, demonstrate that the aquatic environment experiences a greater risk of anticoagulant rodenticide exposure than previously thought. While the anticoagulant’s mechanism of action from the molecular through cellular levels is well understood, substantial data gaps exist regarding the understanding of exposure pathways and potential adverse effects of chronic exposure with multiple active ingredients. Anticoagulants accumulating in aquatic wildlife are likely to be transferred in the food chain, causing potentially serious consequences for the health of wildlife and humans alike.

Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in an Australian predatory bird increases with proximity to developed habitat

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are commonly used worldwide to control commensal rodents. Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) are highly persistent and have the potential to cause secondary poisoning in wildlife. To date no comprehensive assessment has been conducted on AR residues in Australian wildlife. My aim was to measure AR exposure in a common widespread owl species, the Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) using boobooks found dead or moribund in order to assess the spatial distribution of this potential threat. A high percentage of boobooks were exposed (72.6%) and many showed potentially dangerous levels of AR residue (>0.1 mg/kg) in liver tissue (50.7%). Multiple rodenticides were detected in the livers of 38.4% of boobooks tested. Total liver concentration of ARs correlated positively with the proportions of developed areas around points where dead boobooks were recovered and negatively with proportions of agricultural and native land covers. Total AR concentration in livers correlated more closely with land use type at the spatial scale of a boobook's home range than at smaller or larger spatial scales. Two rodenticides not used by the public (difethialone and flocoumafen) were detected in boobooks indicating that professional use of ARs contributed to secondary exposure. Multiple ARs were also detected in recent fledglings, indicating probable exposure prior to fledging. Taken together, these results suggest that AR exposure poses a serious threat to native predators in Australia, particularly in species using urban and peri-urban areas and species with large home ranges.

Talons and beaks are viable but underutilized samples for detecting organophosphorus and carbamate pesticide poisoning in raptors

In Europe and Africa, birds of prey, particularly vultures, are being secondarily or intentionally poisoned with acutely toxic concentrations of organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CM) pesticides in baited food items. By the time a mortality incident is discovered, few or no fresh carcasses, considered optimal for toxicological analysis, remain. Regardless, residues are not always detectible in typically analyzed samples (e.g., liver) because death can occur so rapidly. Without concrete forensic evidence to implicate the compounds being used and an intent to poison, ongoing local mitigation and regulatory efforts will continue to be undermined. We have sought additional means of gathering information about deliberate wildlife poisoning by testing the feasibility of detecting residues in decomposed carcasses that would not otherwise be analyzed. As likely first points of contact with poisoned food items, talons and beaks may contain detectible residues. Here, we report on the analysis of talon (n = 9) and beak (n = 7) samples conducted at the Center for Analysis and Diagnosis of Wildlife (CAD) in southern Spain from 2012-2016. Aldicarb and metabolites, methomyl and chlorfenvinphos were detected in talon samples, whereas aldicarb, chlorpyrifos and carbofuran were detected in the beaks. In several instances, the talon or beak was the only sample taken from a carcass that tested positive. We suggest that not recovering talons or heads/beaks from the field for analysis, especially in the absence of other viable carcass components, may result in pesticide residues - and deliberate poisoning incidents - being overlooked.Keywords: talon, beak, vulture, raptor, pesticide, poisoning, forensic

Dehydropyrrolizidine Alkaloid Toxicity, Cytotoxicity, and Carcinogenicity.

Dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid (DHPA)-producing plants have a worldwide distribution amongst flowering plants and commonly cause poisoning of livestock, wildlife, and humans. Previous work has produced considerable understanding of DHPA metabolism, toxicity, species susceptibility, conditions, and routes of exposure, and pathogenesis of acute poisoning. Intoxication is generally caused by contaminated grains, feed, flour, and breads that result in acute, high-dose, short-duration poisoning. Acute poisoning produces hepatic necrosis that is usually confirmed histologically, epidemiologically, and chemically. Less is known about chronic poisoning that may result when plant populations are sporadic, used as tisanes or herbal preparations, or when DHPAs contaminate milk, honey, pollen, or other animal-derived products. Such subclinical exposures may contribute to the development of chronic disease in humans or may be cumulative and probably slowly progress until liver failure. Recent work using rodent models suggest increased neoplastic incidence even with very low DHPA doses of short durations. These concerns have moved some governments to prohibit or limit human exposure to DHPAs. The purpose of this review is to summarize some recent DHPA research, including in vitro and in vivo DHPA toxicity and carcinogenicity reports, and the implications of these findings with respect to diagnosis and prognosis for human and animal health.

Long-Term Survey of Cadmium and Lead Contamination in Japanese Black Bears Captured in Iwate Prefecture, Japan

Cadmium and lead were measured in liver and kidney samples of 242 Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) captured from 1999 to 2014 from two local populations in Japan. The median concentration of cadmium was 0.54 (mean: 0.80) mg/kg-w.w. in liver and 7.7 (mean: 11.8) mg/kg-w.w. in kidney. The median concentration of lead was 0.24 (mean: 0.40) and 0.21 (mean: 0.32) mg/kg-w.w. in liver and kidney, respectively. Bears in the Kita-ou local population had higher concentrations of cadmium and lead than those in the Kitakami Highlands local population. No chronological change was observed in cadmium levels in tissues, but the percentage of bears whose lead levels exceeded 0.5mg/kg-w.w. has been decreasing in recent years. Countermeasures against lead poisoning in wildlife, which were instituted in 2002, may have contributed to the decrease in lead contamination of the Japanese black bear.

Wildlife poisoning in Crete and the intentions of local interest groups to engage in anti-poisoning actions

In the mountains of Crete, a significant number of animals are poisoned each year. The largest of the Greek islands, Crete is home to significantly large pasture and hunting areas. In an effort to address wildlife poisoning, structured interviews were conducted with specific social groups (hunters, livestock farmers, environmental officers, veterinarians) relating to wildlife poisoning in Crete to explore their intention to engage in anti-poisoning actions. The survey was conducted from early 2013 to mid-2014 and a total of 415 people were surveyed. Survey results indicate that although barriers in effective biodiversity governance have created mistrust between local environmental authorities and local residents, the main social groups related to illegal use of poisoned baits are willing to support alternative methods to address predation impacts. This paper points out the clear need for social learning strategies aimed at local interest groups and for opportunities for more meaningful and democratic environmental policy processes in order to sustain the results of biodiversity conservation plans in the long term.

Paying the Pipers: Mitigating the Impact of Anticoagulant Rodenticides on Predators and Scavengers

Anticoagulant rodenticides, mainly second-generation forms, or SGARs, dominate the global market for rodent control. Introduced in the 1970s to counter genetic resistance in rodent populations to first-generation compounds such as warfarin, SGARs are extremely toxic and highly effective killers. However, their tendency to persist and accumulate in the body has led to the widespread contamination of terrestrial predators and scavengers. Commercial chemicals that are classified by regulators as persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals and that are widely used with potential environmental release, such as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), have been removed from commerce. However, despite consistently failing ecological risk assessments, SGARs remain in use because of the demand for effective rodent-control options and the lack of safe and humane alternatives. Although new risk-mitigation measures for rodenticides are now in effect in some countries, the contamination and poisoning of nontarget wildlife are expected to continue. Here, we suggest options to further attenuate this problem.

Veterinary Forensic Toxicology.

Veterinary pathologists working in diagnostic laboratories are sometimes presented with cases involving animal poisonings that become the object of criminal or civil litigation. Forensic veterinary toxicology cases can include cases involving animal cruelty (malicious poisoning), regulatory issues (eg, contamination of the food supply), insurance litigation, or poisoning of wildlife. An understanding of the appropriate approach to these types of cases, including proper sample collection, handling, and transport, is essential so that chain of custody rules are followed and proper samples are obtained for toxicological analysis. Consultation with veterinary toxicologists at the diagnostic laboratory that will be processing the samples before, during, and after the forensic necropsy can help to ensure that the analytical tests performed are appropriate for the circumstances and findings surrounding the individual case.

Evaluation of morphological and chemical differences of gunshot residues in different ammunitions using SEM/EDS technique

ABSTRACTIn this study, gunshot residues (GSR) of eight different original ammunitions were studied. Gunshot residues collected by the tape-lift method from both of the shooters' hands were analyzed using the SEM/EDS technique. Analysis was performed separately for each ammunition and each shooter using different firearms. Only the primary residues were taken into account for the analysis of the samples. The relationships between the chemical compositions and morphological structures of the ammunition types were investigated and classified. The mutual relations between the frequencies of occurrence of the morphological structures of different ammunition types were analyzed using nonparametric statistical methods (R-Spearman and τ-Kendall correlations). The elemental composition of GSR was found to be associated with the primer type. Different morphological classes, typically smaller than 100 μm in radius, were also identified. The percentages of frequencies of morphological classes of GSR obtained for different ammunition types were found to be similar. The ammunition type can be determined by comparing the primers from test shots with the primer composition obtained by the tape-lift method from a suspect's hand or firearm and cartridge. There is little in the literature about the environmental impacts of gunshot residues. Direct and indirect ingestion of GSRs, which lead to the poisoning of wildlife and the contamination of soil, needs to be evaluated carefully.

Ivory poachers and poison: drivers of Africa's declining vulture populations

AbstractFour species of African vultures have been recategorized as Critically Endangered, and two as Endangered, on the IUCN Red List. Their declining status is attributed partly to the impacts of widespread poisoning. Prior to 2012 poisoning of vultures was mostly associated with illegal predator control by livestock farmers, in which vultures were typically unintended victims. More recently, ivory poachers have been using poisons to kill elephants Loxodonta africana or to contaminate their carcasses specifically to eliminate vultures, whose overhead circling might otherwise reveal the poachers’ presence. Between 2012 and 2014 we recorded 11 poaching-related incidents in seven African countries, in which 155 elephants and 2,044 vultures were killed. In at least two incidents the harvesting of vulture body parts (for fetish) may have provided an additional motive. We show that vulture mortality associated with ivory poaching has increased more rapidly than that associated with other poisoning incidents, and now accounts for one-third of all vulture poisonings recorded since 1970. This recent surge in the illegal use of poisons exposes weaknesses in the regulations, for which we propose measures aimed primarily at retail controls. However, because ivory poachers already operate outside any legal framework, African governments require international support in applying more punitive sentencing against mass wildlife poisoning.

Risk assessment of bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) exposure to topical antiparasitics used in livestock within an ecotoxicovigilance framework

Between 2004 and 2013, 486 suspected scavenger poisoning cases, including 24 bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus), were investigated in the Pyrenees and surrounding areas in Spain as part of a monitoring programme regarding accidental and intentional poisoning of wildlife. Poisoning was confirmed in 36% of all analysed cases where scavenger species were found dead within the distribution range of bearded vultures. Organophosphates and carbamates were the most frequently detected poisons. Four of the bearded vulture cases were positive for the presence of topical antiparasitics (3 with diazinon and 1 with permethrin). These likely represented accidental exposure due to the legal use of these veterinary pharmaceuticals. In order to confirm the risk of exposure to topical antiparasitics in bearded vultures, pig feet (n=24) and lamb feet (n=24) were analysed as these are one of the main food resources provided to bearded vultures at supplementary feeding stations. Pig feet had no detectable residues of topical antiparasitics. In contrast, 71.4% of lamb feet showed residues of antiparasitics including diazinon (64.3%), pirimiphos-methyl (25.4%), chlorpyrifos (7.1%), fenthion (1.6%), permethrin (0.8%) and cypermethrin (27.8%). Washing the feet with water significantly reduced levels of these topical antiparasitics, as such, this should be a recommended practice for lamb feet supplied at feeding stations for bearded vultures. Although the detected levels of antiparasitics were relatively low (≤1μg/g), a risk assessment suggests that observed diazinon levels may affect brain acetylcholinesterase and thermoregulation in bearded vultures subject to chronic exposure.