Environment officials are unsure whether the poisoning of the birds in northeast Victoria was an accidentAn insecticide is likely to be behind the deaths of almost 200 native birds in northeast Victoria, environment officials believe. After dead wedge-tailed eagles were found near Violet Town in August the state’s environment department found more – along with hawks and falcons – on a nearby property. They have since found up to 200 dead native birds in the area, including 25 wedge-tailed eagles. “It remains unclear if these birds were deliberately poisoned, however given the large number of birds found nearby, it’s a possibility,” the environment department compliance manager, Andrew Dean, said. “All evidence collected will be forensically analysed, including the carcasses and chemicals seized, which may take some time,” Dean said.

Source: The Guardian October 07, 2019 01:03 UTC