Poisoning of hyacinthine macaws in the Pantanal through pesticides

A paper has just been published by Neiva Guedes and Eliane Vicente on the poisoning of hyacinthine macaws in the southern Pantanal through pesticides. Fires and deforestation through inefficient and unsustainable cattle-ranching are a persistent problem. Now the reckless use of pesticides is also contributing. The paper investigates the cause of the death of three macaws. A necropsy was conducted and biological samples collected to test for organophosphates, organochlorines and carbomates.  The results showed a highly dangerous level of organophosphate. The paper also discusses mortality reports for bees and other bird species.

As the paper states these factors are antagonistic to long-term efforts to preserve wildlife and carry out other conservation efforts in Brazil’s southern Pantanal. It recommends that the use of organophosphate should not be undertaken in or adjacent to environmental reserves and especially aquatic ecosystems such as the Pantanal.

The paper can be read at   

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84228-3