Poison Takes Toll On Africa's Lions

Kenyan Cattle Herders Are Using The American Pesticide Furadan To Kill The Predators

(CBS)  When Simon walked into a shop - filmed with the hidden camera - he had no problem buying a bottle of Furadan for 120 shillings, or about $2.

There was actually plenty of Furadan on the shelves and we were surprised that the storekeeper didn't ask what we wanted it for. Asked if many people buy Furadan, the shopkeeper told Simon, "So many people buy Furadan."

But when asked what they use it for, the shopkeeper simply laughed.

It seemed clear from stores 60 Minutes visited that shopkeepers knew Furadan was not only used on crops. In fact, some stores which stocked Furadan were in areas where there wasn't a crop for miles.

In its granular form, Furadan is banned in Europe and the United Kingdom; it is severely restricted in the United States. Just a tiny amount from a $2 bottle is enough to kill an entire pride of lions.

Furadan, even when used as directed, is estimated to have wiped out millions of birds in the United States and poses unacceptable risks to human health. That's why the Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of banning it.

But in Africa, Furadan is perfectly legal as a pesticide. However, when the granules are sprinkled on carcasses, any animal that feeds on them will die. And not just lions - hyenas, leopards, jackals, vultures and other birds die in droves.

"It's inexcusable to use Furadan for killing animals. It wasn't designed for the purpose. It's grossly irresponsible to use it in that way," said Dr. Richard Leakey, the doyen of conservationists in Africa, who has spent years fighting for the conservation of Kenya's wildlife.

"But you can understand why cattle farmers do use it," Simon remarked.

"I can understand why people rob banks. I mean, there are a lot of things I can understand," Leakey replied. "It's irresponsible to put on the market something that is so utterly dangerous to wildlife in a country where wildlife is so critical for our economic future."

Wildlife is in fact crucial for Kenya's economic future. Hundreds of thousands of tourists bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the country. But most Kenyans see very little of that, so there is little incentive to value the wildlife.

"The amount of tourism that's here is not sufficient to offset the cost of these people living with wildlife," said Tom Hill, an American philanthropist who wanted to make wildlife worth something to the people.

[Brandywine33]

This is really a tragic story about these lions being poisoned so cattlemen in Africa can protect their cattle. I raise goats in America so I realize the need to protect them from predators, so I use a Great Pyrenees dog which is very effective. What comes next after these herdsmen kill all the lions? Kill all the chettas, leopards, hyenas, etc., etc? Then the grazers are going to grow so out of control that their cattle will have little if anything to eat. So what then, go further and kill all the wild grazers? This world will probably and surely get to the point that all is left, aside from pets and animals in zoos, are humans and what lifestock they think they can make money off of because all the wild animals will be gone that once lived in the wild.

Here in America years ago farmers tried to kill off the wolf population to protect cattle, but that only allowed the coyote population to explode to the point that they are now well out of control. There are ways to protect livestock without actually resorting to killing other animals. If these African herdsmen are allowing the cattle to roam with no protection then they are being very irresponsible and reckless. But I have seen on some nature shows where some tribes did have Massai(sp?) dogs, so that is better. They say Tigers will be extinct in a very few years, so now it sounds as though lions may be also. I guess then the chettas and leopards will be on the chopping block as well. When will humans ever stop?

[wyo_biologist]

There is little incentive for native peoples to protect wildlife as they receive little or no income from eco-tourism. Lions killing cattle in Kenya represents an economic loss to the owner(s) of the predated livestock - native or otherwise. If these lions have no economic value, then they have no future outside of the National Parks within Kenya or any of the African range states that have lion populations and those lions that live in the fringe areas of the Parks and venture outside are DOA as well - these animals don't recognize political boundaries. In those countries that have established sustainable harvest quotas for mature (6+ years of age or older) male lions, the lion has tremendous economic value, with the hunting thereof providing a source of employment for local natives and, perhaps more importantly, a source of hard currency associated with each lion harvested. Where African wildlife outside of the National Parks has an economic value directly related to the hunting industry, wildlife thrives and the local communities have a vested interest in ensuring that the wildlife populations are protected from poaching and illegal harvest. Countries such as Kenya that have banned hunting have removed the economic incentives necessary to protect the native wildlife and said wildlife has virtually disappeared from those areas outside of the parks. Moreover, any animals that venture outside of these parks are fair game for poachers plying the bushmeat trade and, in the case of lions, from livestock owners trying to protect their herds from depredation. In order for wildlife to co-exist with man, particularly in the developing nations, the wildlife must have value and must contribute to the local economy thereby giving the native peoples in these regions an incentive to preserve and protect their wildlife heritage. Robert M. Anderson, Certified Wildlife Biologist

[okiror]

There sure has to be a more humane way to kill them.

[FirebirdAvenger]

So because the cattle raisers don't bother to fence in their animals, all the other wildlife have to suffer as a result? Why don't they have cattle ranches? Maybe they could legislate this in Kenya. Cattle belong on ranches, not running wild with lions and hyenas and other predators. So because the cattle owners are too lazy or stupid to fence the animals they depend on for a living, they think it's okay to poison lions (and everything else). Guess they never learned that's how nature works. Well, they need to be educated.

Is every stupid mistake mankind ever made in its economic development to be repeated in Africa? How long will it be before the rivers are as polluted as the Potomac used to be, the air is as polluted as the LA area has been, and you can only find African animals in zoos, because the people were too ignorant, lazy, or stupid to handle things more responsibly?

If the loss of just one cow is such an economic disaster, then they should fence them in ranches, not letting them run free in the wild. If the people can't figure this out for themselves,can't someone teach them, like USAID? Why does this continue? Of course they'll take the cheapest way out to exercise their anger and vengeance, by poisoning the cadavers with some pesticide - which the shopowners laugh about.

Here it would be a crime to do that. Why are Africans not educated and held to the same standard if the animals they raise are so important to their survival (not to mention bringing in a lot of tourist money to their countries)?

[sfwindowwasher]

If you really want to affect FMC and get the company to discontinue the manfacturing of such a distainful chemical (isn't that why we banned DDT?) it would be to let them know that you will sell any stocks you have with them or any related company of theirs. Stock holders hate to hear this type of information...and...that gets them where it hurts...their bottom line! If you want action, take action on your part! Call your investor and do homework to see which stocks you are really part of. FMC could be "hidden" in with some other companies...so you may have to be a pest about it. You may be investing in their company and not even be aware of it! Take action to apply pressure to FMC to discontinue the manufacturing of this deadly, toxic product! If the masses unite, you WILL make a difference!

[allthingsanimal]

Boycott all things from FMC Corp. Sell your stock. Let's send a message to FMC Corp to STOP production of Furadan or anything similar before this goes beyond killing Lions in Africa! Share this message. Get the word out. Make it happen!

[kc201]

These people support hunting lions but not poisoning them! More lucrative?

http://www.africanconservation.org/dcforum/DCForumID5/291.html

"Frank said the best way to ensure the lion's survival would be to allow a few of them to be shot for money. Big game hunters will pay $50,000 or more to bag a single, mature male, he said, making lions far more valuable to the local economy than cattle or even tourism.
Frank said the reauthorization of hunting had been discussed by the Kenyan government but had made little headway.

[tecumseh2009]

I watched your episode on the killing of the lions by using Furadan in Kenya on march 3, 2009. I understand the people depend on their cattle for survival but if the animals are so important then why do they let them "out of their sight" to stray? it seems the people are irresponsible. of course, the lions for the sake of survival are going to kill unsupervised cattle. how can we band the use of furadan internationally? also, in some countries they use dogs to keep sheep from straying. have they tried this method? thank-you for televising this story.

[pennylight]

Kenya could learn from it's neighbors in Botswana
Check out the lions of Moremi
www.moremi.earth-touch.com

[Keepers_of_the_Wild]

I believe the Kenyan government is at fault for not protect these magnificent creatures and their natural heritage. It is time to start boycotting their tourist industry and hit them in the pocket, maybe then they?ll get it.