Relation between Intensity of Biocide Practice and Residues of Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Red Foxes ( XXXX ).

@entity1984 @entity13616 @entity11947 @entity1707
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are commonly used to control rodent infestations for biocidal and plant protection purposes. This can lead to @entity1984 exposure of non-target small mammals and their predators, which is known from several regions of the world. However, drivers of exposure variation are usually not known. To identify environmental drivers of @entity1984 exposure in non-targets we analyzed 331 liver samples of red foxes ( @entity13616 ) for residues of eight ARs and used local parameters (percentage of urban area and livestock density) to test for associations to residue occurrence. 59.8% of samples collected across Germany contained at least one rodenticide, in 20.2% of cases at levels at which biological effects are suspected. Second generation anticoagulants (mainly brodifacoum and @entity11947 ) occurred more often than first generation anticoagulants. Local livestock density and the percentage of urban area were good indicators for @entity1984 residue occurrence. There was a positive association between pooled ARs and brodifacoum occurrence with livestock density as well as of pooled ARs, brodifacoum and difenacoum occurrence with the percentage of urban area on administrative district level. @entity1707 holding drove associations of livestock density to @entity1984 residue occurrence in foxes. Therefore, risk mitigation strategies should focus on areas of high @entity1707 density and on highly urbanized areas to minimize non-target risk.
