Pesticides found in 80% seed samples eaten by endangered Australian cockatoos
Scientists have discovered that 80% of seed samples consumed by endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos in Australia are contaminated with pesticides. Many samples contained chemical levels significantly higher than legal safety limits.
Why it matters
The findings suggest a widespread environmental hazard that threatens endangered wildlife and potentially poses risks to human food safety.
Scientists tracking endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos across Western Australia’s Wheatbelt over three breeding seasons found worrying levels of chemical contamination in the birds' food. Four out of five seed samples tested positive for pesticides, with some containing chemical levels hundreds of times above legal limits.The study, led by researchers at Murdoch University, combined satellite tracking data with seed samples collected near grain silos. The team found 26 different pesticides in the birds' feeding areas, including 10 neurotoxic chemicals, showing that the endangered cockatoos are regularly eating a dangerous mix of agricultural pesticides.Lead researcher Zoe Kissane, a PhD candidate at Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute, fitted wild cockatoos with GPS and ARGOS satellite tags across five breeding sites.
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