Bald Eagle Suffers Severe Anemia, Lethargy After Ingesting Rat Poison in Massachusetts

In eastern Massachusetts, a well-documented and beloved bald eagle has unintentionally ingested rat poison, resulting in severe anemia and lethargy. The raptor was in critical condition on Monday and died the night of March 1.

MK, the female bald eagle, was found weak on the ground in a cemetery in Arlington. It was unable to fly when the wildlife officials examined the bird. Further examination showed that the injured bald eagle might be suffering an anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning, according to England Wildlife Center, a 33-year-old nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts.

Rat Poison Could Get a Bald Eagle Too

Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning in raptors can be possible when the rodent it ate has ingested rat poison shortly prior to being preyed upon.

According to the Center, as MK the bald eagle was unable to get off the ground in its several attempts, the raptor was then taken to Cape Cod Hospital.

England Wildlife Center said that the bald eagle had no broken bones but it still could barely stand. The Center also pointed out that other than being severely anemic and lethargic at the time, the raptor's blood was clotting unusually slower.

The veterinary team of the Center made sure to administer fluids, oxygen, pain medications, and necessary treatments to improve the bird's blood clotting.

The Center announced on its social media account that its resident veterinary team will stay by the injured raptor's side. They will be monitoring MK closely.

MK and KZ: the Bald Eagle Couple

According to The Hill, MK was not carrying eggs at this time but she and her mate, KZ used to the Mystic River watershed frequently. MK was hatched in Waltham seven years ago.

The Center says that the bald eagle couple was revered as Massachusett's true ecological success story. The duo was a testament to the progress of Mystic River, along with its habitats, over the past few decades of recovery.

The Center is referring to a previous decline of the watershed posed by urban development and rampant pollution, which was written into storybooks for children, The Hill reports.

However, in a recent update from the Center, MK succumbed to her illness a few days after she was found in critical condition.

Rodenticides

Whenever a homeowner, or even pest control companies, would want to get rid of unwanted rodents such as rats and mice, rodenticides are commonly used.

Rodenticides are anticoagulants, which means that it keeps the blood of the rodent from clotting which will lead to internal bleeding that could eventually kill it.

However, this type of poison is also effective on its non-targets. It means that rodenticides are also lethal for any other animal that ingests them. According to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, rodenticides kill thousands of non-target animals every year because of either direct or indirect consumption of the poison.

The National Park Service tallies 137 wildlife that tested positive for exposure to poisoning, with more than 86 resulting in death. This tally, last updated in April 2019, includes bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions.

NPS also warned that households using rodenticides might expose their pets and local wildlife to the poison. This is because rodents exposed to the poison might take 10 days before it succumbs to the poison.