Malibu High Gets a Big Dose of Poison

Caution students, gophers, squirrels, rabbits, other small animals and pet owners. Stay away from . A warning notice (that I am pretty sure small fuzzy creatures cannot read) was posted at the entrance by Clover Heights that the area was being treated with pesticides—fumitoxin, strychnine and diphacionone (the notice is attached to this blog post).

Fumitoxin: (from http://www.pestgon.com/msds/fumitoxin.pdf) "Mild exposure by inhalation causes malaise (indefinite feeling of sickness), ringing in the ears, fatigue, nausea and pressure in the chest which is relieved by removal to fresh air. Moderate poisoning causes weakness, vomiting, pain just above the stomach, chest pain, diarrhea and dyspnea (difficulty in breathing). Symptoms of severe poisoning may occur within a few hours to several days resulting in pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs) and may lead to dizziness, cyanosis (blue or purple skin color), unconsciousness, and death."

Strychnine: (from Wikipedia) "Ten to twenty minutes after exposure, the body's muscles begin to spasm, starting with the head and neck in the form of trismus and risus sardonicus. The spasms then spread to every muscle in the body, with nearly continuous convulsions, and get worse at the slightest stimulus. The convulsions progress, increasing in intensity and frequency until the backbone arches continually. Convulsions lead to lactic acidosis, hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis. These are followed by postictal depression. Death comes from asphyxiation caused by paralysis of the neural pathways that control breathing, or by exhaustion from the convulsions. The subject dies within 2–3 hours after exposure."

Diphacionone is used as a rodentcide, which, according to Wikipedia, "is an anticoagulant used to kill rodents. This product is also lethal to many other species, specifically, dogs. Even in small doses this pest control substance can be fatal if not treated immediately."

The Wikipedia entry continues, "Clinical signs for canine rodenticide toxicosis include lethargy, epistaxis, melena, bruising, acute blindness, seizures, dyspnea, depression, weakness, pallor, paresis or paralysis, gingival bleeding, profuse bleeding from wounds, hematemesis and hematuria. The vet may notice prolonged bleeding from venipuncture sites, hematomas and hemorrhaging into body cavities. If any of these signs are noticed and rodenticide ingestion is a probable cause, the pet should be taken to an animal hospital immediately."

What in the world possesses a school board or principal to allow this kind of poisoning to take place in a rural town like Malibu? Raptors eat the rats and bunnies. It's a whole ecological nightmare waiting to happen. Further, what parent would want their kids to walk on this stuff and bring it home on their shoes or inhale it? 

No one dies from rats, gophers, bunnies or squirrels. So why are we killing them? These animals are part of the natural scheme of life at the school.

Please, parents. Put a stop to this stupid killing spree on campus.