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Commission member warns rodenticides are harming owls and other raptors
Summary
Commission member Claudia Mucklow told the Charlotte Conservation Commission that rodenticide exposure is showing up as strange owl behavior and mortality; she will follow up with wildlife rehabilitators and research possible local actions or alternatives.
Commission member Claudia Mucklow raised the commission’s concern that rodenticides are harming local wildlife, particularly raptors and scavengers. "When owls are acting strange and haven’t been hit by a car, it’s often rodenticide," she said, noting that predators can be poisoned after eating rodents that consumed bait. Claudia said many affected animals do not survive even with treatment.
Mucklow said she works with wildlife rehabilitators and the Vermont Wildlife Coalition and will contact rehabilitators to learn about options and possible community actions; she expected to report back after checking with them on Friday. The commission added rodenticides to the agenda for discussion after public comment and placed the topic on their radar for follow-up. No formal policy or vote was taken; the item was recorded as an action item for future research and possible outreach.
