Rodenticides feared to harm ecology; Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency: Monitoring via wildlife rescue system
Following public concerns in Taipei regarding rodenticide use and its potential harm to ecosystems, Taiwan's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency announced it will monitor the situation through its wildlife rescue notification system. Investigations by the Taiwan Raptor Research Group show high levels of rodenticide residue in raptors, raising ecological concerns.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 18:08
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wang Shu-fen Taipei 2nd) Taipei citizens frequently report the appearance of rats on the streets, and the issue of rodenticide use has also attracted concern from wildlife conservation groups, who worry about disrupting the food chain and harming the ecosystem. The Ministry of Agriculture's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency stated that it will monitor and grasp the situation through the wildlife rescue notification system.
According to the explanation provided by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, it will continue to monitor the health status and potential poisoning cases of raptors and other species through the wildlife rescue notification system. Based on monitoring results and practical needs, it will remind local governments to dynamically review relevant management measures, balancing public health and ecological conservation.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency stated that rodent control is an environmental and public health issue in urban governance, and the Ministry of Environment has repeatedly cautioned about careful use of pesticides. Since toxins can enter the ecosystem, causing bioaccumulation and non-target species consumption issues, they may cause a certain degree of harm to the ecosystem. Therefore, they should be used cautiously based on the professional assessment of the Ministry of Environment to avoid accidental ingestion by non-target species.
The Taiwan Raptor Research Group posted on Facebook today, stating that between 2021 and 2024, they examined the livers or stomach contents of 106 raptors of 10 different species that died due to various reasons. The results showed that 61% tested positive for rodenticide residues, and among the raptors that tested positive, 68% detected two or more types of pesticides.
The research group believes that the overuse of rodenticides will not reduce the overall rodent population; instead, it may lead to more. This is mainly because in environments with abundant food resources, rodents will not obediently eat rodenticides. As long as there are surviving rodents, the rodent population will inevitably rebound. Secondly, predators (natural enemies) with lower reproduction rates die from eating rodenticides due to the food chain, and a decrease in predators will make it impossible to suppress the rodent population. (Edited by Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150502
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(Central News Agency reporter Wang Shu-fen Taipei 2nd) Taipei citizens frequently report the appearance of rats on the streets, and the issue of rodenticide use has also attracted concern from wildlife conservation groups, who worry about disrupting the food chain and harming the ecosystem. The Ministry of Agriculture's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency stated that it will monitor and grasp the situation through the wildlife rescue notification system.
According to the explanation provided by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, it will continue to monitor the health status and potential poisoning cases of raptors and other species through the wildlife rescue notification system. Based on monitoring results and practical needs, it will remind local governments to dynamically review relevant management measures, balancing public health and ecological conservation.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency stated that rodent control is an environmental and public health issue in urban governance, and the Ministry of Environment has repeatedly cautioned about careful use of pesticides. Since toxins can enter the ecosystem, causing bioaccumulation and non-target species consumption issues, they may cause a certain degree of harm to the ecosystem. Therefore, they should be used cautiously based on the professional assessment of the Ministry of Environment to avoid accidental ingestion by non-target species.
The Taiwan Raptor Research Group posted on Facebook today, stating that between 2021 and 2024, they examined the livers or stomach contents of 106 raptors of 10 different species that died due to various reasons. The results showed that 61% tested positive for rodenticide residues, and among the raptors that tested positive, 68% detected two or more types of pesticides.
The research group believes that the overuse of rodenticides will not reduce the overall rodent population; instead, it may lead to more. This is mainly because in environments with abundant food resources, rodents will not obediently eat rodenticides. As long as there are surviving rodents, the rodent population will inevitably rebound. Secondly, predators (natural enemies) with lower reproduction rates die from eating rodenticides due to the food chain, and a decrease in predators will make it impossible to suppress the rodent population. (Edited by Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150502
Choose to stand with facts; your every sponsorship is a force protecting press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.