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The Farallon Islands off the California coast host a unique and fragile ecosystem, and provide important breeding grounds for birds, and the other wild animals who call it home. This haven is threatened by a cruel and dangerous plan to dump a rodenticide, otherwise known as a super-toxic rat poison, in a misguided effort to protect ashy storm petrels from burrowing owls. We must urge the California Coastal Commission to reject the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) poison dispersal plan for the Southeast Farallon Island, and to explore non-toxic contraceptive bait as a solution instead.

The ashy storm petrel is a species of small seabird. The species is classified as Threatened, with biologists estimating that there are only about 5,000-10,000 breeding pairs remaining. Roughly half of those breeding pairs breed on the Farallon Islands. The Farallon Islands are also home to a population of introduced house mice, which is thought to be where the problem arises. It is claimed that the mice are attracting burrowing owls from the mainland Marin shoreline, and these owls are then wreaking havoc on the ashy storm petrels during their breeding season, when they are most vulnerable, by also preying upon them.

The USFWS proposal is to airdrop 1.3 metric tons (2,917 pounds) of toxic rodenticide on the Farallon islands in the ridiculously optimistic hopes of killing all of the mice, so as to disincentivize the owls from sticking around and preying upon the ashy storm petrel.

Suffice to say there are a number of problems with USFWS's proposal. For starters, it is cruel and unethical to mass-poison sentient creatures. Poisoning is an extremely unpleasant way to die. The death can take days, as the body slowly succumbs to dehydration and internal bleeding.

Also, air-dropping 1.3 metric tons of rodenticide is hardly a targeted solution. The proposed poison is toxic not only to mice, but also to birds, mammals, and aquatic life. Non-target animals will consume this poison either directly, or by consuming prey animals who consumed it, and significant nontarget deaths are expected. These deaths will likely number in the thousands or tens of thousands across all kinds of species. The USFWS anticipates 1,000 seagull deaths alone!

Most importantly, there is a better solution — non-toxic contraceptive bait is already available.

Letter to Decision maker(s) for reference:

As someone who is concerned with wildlife, and one of over 250,000 In Defense of Animals supporters, I am writing to urge you to reject the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) poison dispersal plan for the Southeast Farallon Island, and to explore non-toxic contraceptive bait as a solution instead. 

The Environmental Impact Statement from the USFWS supports Alternative B, which will involve dumping nearly 3,000 pounds of the anticoagulant rodenticide Brodifacuoum-25D Conservation on the South Farallon Islands to eradicate the population of house mice.

This proposal is intended to benefit several species, including the ashy storm petrel, and the ecosystem. However, it should not be supported.

I appreciate that the ashy storm petrel is a threatened species, and I wish to protect these birds. I also appreciate that the house mouse is non-native to the Farallon Islands, and seems to be disrupting the local ecosystem by attracting burrowing owls, who prey on the ashy storm petrel during its breeding season. 

However, the proposal to drop super-toxic rodenticide poison on the island is incredibly cruel and poses significant risks to other wild animals and the environment.

For starters, it is bad to mass poison sentient creatures. Poisoning is an incredibly painful way to die. The death can take days, as the body slowly succumbs to dehydration and internal bleeding. 

Also, air-dropping rodenticide is hardly a targeted solution. The proposed poison is toxic not only to mice, but also to birds, mammals, and aquatic life. Non-target animals will consume this poison either directly, or by consuming prey animals who consumed it, and significant nontarget deaths are expected. These deaths will likely number in the thousands or tens of thousands across species. The USFWS anticipates 1,000 gull deaths alone. 

The dangers associated with second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, including brodifacoum, are widely-acknowledged by scientists, conservationists and politicians which led to a ban on nearly all uses in the state of California as of January 1, 2021. It is reckless to dump these poisons in full knowledge of the harms they cause throughout the ecosystem.

It is even worse that this is planned to take place just off the coast of San Francisco, the city named for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

Most importantly, there is a better solution, and no need to put thousands of sentient creatures through an agonizing death, including potentially some of the birds you are looking to protect, when non-toxic contraceptive bait is already available. 

Please, reject the USFWS poison dispersal plan for the Southeast Farallon Island, and explore non-toxic contraceptive bait as a solution instead.

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