Stillaguamish Tribe warns rat poison is killing eagles

ARLINGTON — Wildlife biologists for the Stillaguamish Tribes are ringing alarm bells over commonly used rat poisons killing bald eagles across Snohomish County.

Since March 2024, the tribe and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have sent six eagle carcusses to Washington State University’s animal diagnostic lab. Of the six, five had signs of being poisoned by rodenticides, or rat poison.

Stillaguamish Tribe Wildlife Biologist Amanda Summers believes the poisonous chemicals found in the eagles trace back to rat bait boxes — ubiquitous black plastic containers often found outside malls, houses and apartment complexes.

These containers typically contain one of two types of rodenticides: anticoagulants or neurotoxin.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/stillaguamish-tribe-warns-rat-poison-is-killing-eagles/

The eagles are eating the dead rats. They are known to scavenge.

Interestingly the anticoagulant warfarin is prescribed in limited quantity to people as coumadin.