Hunters near Brno find hares, pheasants ‘illegally poisoned’ by Stutox II

Dozens of hares and several pheasants found dead by hunters on the outskirts of Brno were killed by Stutox II, a rat poison that farmers were recently prohibited from using on a blanket scale, unofficial lab tests show. The firm Bonagro, which allegedly applied the poison in nearby fields, has come forward to say it did so before the government issued a ban.

Earlier this month the government suspended a decision to let farmers use Stutox II to poison rodents, which have decimated grain and rapeseed crops and are threatening corn, beet, sunflower production. The Ministry of Environment had argued the poison presents a serious threat to other animals, including birds, and that its use violates the law on landscape protection.

Author: Brian Kenety