Endangered Owls Are Being Fatally Poisoned by Illegal US Marijuana Farms (ScienceAlert)

[eppur_se_muova]

DAVID NIELD
16 JAN 2018

Something is poisoning groups of owls in the US, including endangered species, and scientists think illegal marijuana farms are to blame.

More specifically, a rat poison used at these farms is thought to be responsible, passed on as owls feed on the rats contaminated by anticoagulant poisons. The rats get drawn to the aromatic marijuana plants, and then become toxic.

The toxins interfere with the blood's ability to form clots, leading to internal bleeding, and the researchers want to see more done to restrict the use of this rodenticide, which is banned for use with marijuana cultivation.

"Spotted owls are inclined to feed along forest edges. Because grow sites break apart these forest landscapes, they are likely source points for exposure," says lead researcher Mourad Gabriel, from the University of California, Davis.
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An analysis of owl carcasses found that 7 out of the 10 collected northern spotted owls tested positive for rat poison, as did 34 out of 84 barred owls.
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more: https://www.sciencealert.com/endangered-owls-fatally-poisoned-by-illegal-us-marijuana-weed-farms?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1



Unintended consequences ...

[HeartachesNhangovers]

1. The growers don't care. I guess the buyers don't either.

And it isn't just the owls. Porcupines, fishers, lots of animals.

And the poison is just part of it. The growers don't pack their trash out - toxic or non-toxic. And they need water so they divert the streams.

[msongs]

2. grow yer own now legal in CA...almost. limits make it only semi legal nt

[Kolesar]

3. Cutesy plans for visiting California for some marijuana tourism don't seem so innocent now. ... eom