Experts say pest control still possible as Australia-wide ban on commercial rat baits looms

Controlling and eliminating pests is still well and truly viable, experts say, despite the looming ban on over-the-counter sales of popular rat poisons across Australia.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (AVPMA) has certified second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) as restricted chemical products.

The restrictions mean products containing those substances —including many popular rat baits — would require a specific license to legally purchase.

SGARs pose a threat to many native predators because the poisons are so potent that they kill not only rodents with a single dose, but also the animals that hunt them for food.

First-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs) differ in that it takes numerous doses for the baits to become lethal because it breaks down in the body faster, making secondary poisoning significantly less likely.

'Toxic time bombs'

Curtin ecologist Bill Bateman said the impact of second-generation baits on birds of prey was "profound".

"They're effectively little toxic time bombs just waiting to kill the next predator," he said.

"So, go for those first-generation baits, typically things like warfarin."

Professor Bateman said the removal of SGARs from the environment would boost native predator populations.

"The removal of the SGARs from the ecosystem will, we hope, have a fantastic knock-on effect and take away just one of the many threats that face our native wildlife."

Professor Bateman said there were toxin-free alternatives available for domestic rodent control.

"There are lots of live traps and killing traps which you can use, which are mechanical, and there are quite a range of ones now which will use electrical pulses," he said.

"We can go back to the old tried and tested techniques of snap traps."

Industry pest control viable

The licensing process will allow industries where pest control is critical, such as farming or mining, to continue using the restricted poisons.

Edith Cowan University biologist Rob Davis said while use would probably be allowed to continue, there were alternatives to SGARs.

"Identify the scale and nature of the problem, try to do things like rodent proofing, try small-scale approaches such as targeted trapping, identify where infestations are," he said.

"Then consider baiting and obviously consider first-generation baits, or alternatives, like non-anticoagulant products altogether."

Dr Davis said industries needed to start with "the basics."

"One thing I think that is really important that you don't often see is surveillance," he said.

Poisons found in endangered mammals

Curtin University research fellow Judy Dunlop is studying the spread of rodenticides in native animal populations.

Her research detected poison in populations of the endangered northern quoll in remote parts of Western Australia's Pilbara as a result of secondary poisoning from eating dead rats.

Dr Dunlop said the baits were used across a broad range of locations.

"They'll be at mine sites, at any agricultural points like at seed bins, ports and towns — the poisons will be spread basically wherever people are," she said.

"And for northern quolls, which are endangered and have already suffered significant declines across Northern Australia … it's just an additional threat that they don't need."

A recommendation from the regulator on the status of FGARs is expected to be released early next year once new data has been collected and assessed.