Story originally appeared in the Hartford Courant

Another bald eagle has died from second-generation anti-coagulant rodenticide poisoning in Connecticut. This one was from Bethany.

That brings the total to six bald eagles (that we know of) who have died from consuming poisoned rodents since advocates ang legislators began working tirelessly to get a bill across the finish line to ban the use of SGARS whether you have a license to do so or not. The other eagles were from Westport, Canton, New Hartford, and Bloomfield.

Legislation to ban the use of SGARS in Connecticut has strong momentum in the House, with 51 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. But without leadership support in the Senate, this critical bill may not be called for a vote.

The public can have influence by contacting their state senators and senate leadership and pressing them to prevent this animal cruelty. Animals arrive at wildlife rehab centers convulsing and dying a slow agonizing death after simply eating their prey, and it is entirely preventable.

Anticoagulants work by preventing blood from clotting. So, animals die from internal bleeding after consuming poisoned rodents who have taken bait from those ubiquitous black boxes you see outside grocery stores, around housing developments and town parks.

A Place Called Hope birds of prey rehab center in Killingworth is up to 101 completed tests on killed birds and animals with 78 being positive for SGARS, including an endangered barn owl, and 56 hawks. Wildlife in Crisis in Weston, the largest wildlife rehab center in the state, estimates that at least 100 birds of prey and 40 foxes die in her care from SGARS annually.

“Unfortunately, rodenticide and pesticide ridden animals continue to come through our doors at even higher levels as time goes on,” the director has said. “The most notable thing we’ve seen is an uptick in bald eagle poisonings as they move into suburban areas.”

She said the influx of new homeowners to Connecticut in recent years has added to the problem because one of the first things new homeowners do is hire a pest control company and a lawn service, and they have no clue when companies are using the most toxic poisons.

The Environmental Protection Agency determined SGARS were so harmful that they pulled them from consumer shelves in 2014, but licensed pest control companies can still use them and because of a loophole they are available on the internet. Presently, there are 267 individuals that hold commercial supervisor certification in the rodent (7d) category. There are approximately 170 registered businesses in the state that provide commercial rodent control services.

A myth circulating is that disallowing pest management specialists to use SGARS will cause rodent populations to explode. The truth is there have been no rodent outbreaks or public health crises in California or British Columbia–proof that we can protect wildlife without compromising public health. California put a moratorium on SGARS in 2020; and in 2024 the Governor expanded it to include ALL blood-thinning rat poisons. And British Columbia’s temporary ban became permanent in 2023.

Connecticut’s ban would narrowly target the worst class of poisons–it is just four ingredients.

While it is difficult to accept an industry business model needs changing, Connecticut cannot ignore evidence of unintended deaths of our state’s wildlife, which is clear from the use of SGARs. Just when the population of the state’s raptors is noticeably increasing, SGARs are bioaccumulating and becoming the DDT of our generation.

Landlords opt for poison because it’s an easy way to check off a rodent-mitigation plan box, instead of addressing structural deficiencies that allow rodents to enter and management of trash, such as switching to high-quality metal containers.

Bushnell Park in Hartford is an example of successful integrated pest management without using anticoagulants. Their four-pronged approach: improved waste management and landscaping to remove potential rat habitat, carbon monoxide sprayer in burrows, as well as the birth control product Contrapest. A mixed-use business district in Seattle also used Contrapest and reduced the rat population by 91 percent in just a few months. The company has a product available to the public now called EVOLVE.

Last month a Connecticut town became the first in the state to launch a rodent birth control pilot program using GoodBites, manufactured by Wisdom GoodWorks, because they want to protect local birds of prey.

It takes a community to be willing to go first and lead the way for an idea to take hold and become widely accepted. “Everyone that has helped pave the way for this pilot study in… deserves a cape because they are personal heroes of mine,” said the non-profit’s director of operations.

Now it is time for Connecticut legislators to put on their capes and to protect wildlife under siege from these powerful, long-lasting poisons making their way up the food chain…just like they promised.

Nicole Rivard is media/government relations manager for Darien-based Friends of Animals, an international animal advocacy group