Article 32 Presentation

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What Are FGARs?

- Stands for “First Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides”

- Includes warfarin, diaphacinone, and chlorophacinone.

- Interferes with Vit K production, interfering with blood-clotting.

- Rodents have developed a robust resistance to these poisons (while their predators

have not), which is why we have SGARs.

- Animals can be affected by firsthand/direct consumption of bait, or in the case of

predators, usually by secondary or tertiary exposure.

An Escalation: The Case of the Arlington Gray Fox

What About Controlling Rodents?

- ARs do not reduce rodents on the population level in any open ecosystem.

- Rodent numbers are actually climbing with the rise in use of ARs.

- Sanitation and exclusion are known to be most effective combined with rodent

contraception, deterrents, supplemental trapping (SMART boxes) and dry ice.

Photo of fox by Robert Martinez

Precedent

- California’s moratorium is on all ARs.

- State legislation seeks to ban both SGARs & FGARs in the state.

- Current legal petition requests ban on both FGARs & SGARs.

- Several municipalities in MA currently are voting on HR petitions

for both generations of ARs.

Widespread Support

- Arlington Conservation Commission

- Sustainable Arlington

- Friends of Spy Pond Park

- Mystic River Watershed Association

- MSPCA

- Select Board