Link between pesticide use and the survival of grey partridge Perdix perdix

Abstract

The relationship between the use of pesticides and grey partridge poisoning, mainly due to irregular use of rodent baits, is reviewed in the current paper. The aim of this review is to emphasise the existing problem of partridge extinction and how it would impact the agriculture ecology. A drastic decline in the population of Grey Partridge Perdix perdix has been observed in the Republic of Serbia as well as in many other countries, due to intensive agriculture, predominantly caused by the abuse of pesticides. Pathological and toxicological findings indicate poisoning, and this can be confirmed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Actions such as monitoring and reporting incidents in the future should provide questions of how to improve and implement the established regulations.

Keywords::

• grey partridge
• carbofuran
• pathology
• toxicology

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (TP31084).